ORMOC CITY- About 50,000 sacks of rice were donated by the Tzu Chi Foundation to victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda of this city. On June 6, the Taiwan-based foundation started the distribution of sacks of rice to 13 barangays of Ormoc. Alfredo Li, chief executive officer of the Tzu Chi Foundation, said that they have allocated 50,000 sacks of rice equivalent to 1 million tons for victims of typhoon in Ormoc. A family of five members is to receive a sack of rice while two sacks of rice are to be given to families which have more than five members. Each sack of rice weighs 23 kilograms. Glen Baguio, a 29 year old farmer from Cabulihan village, expressed his gratitude to the Tzu Chi Foundation for giving them sack of rice saying it would be a big help to his family. Virgilio Caballero, 67 and rice laborer Antonio Obida, 74 from Valencia and Guintigui-an villages respectively, said the sacks of rice they received were great help. They thanked Tzu Chi for considering their dire need. Li added the rice was donated by the Korean government and that the foundation did not spare any cost for the goods but said long preparations were made by the volunteers prior to reaching its recipients. Li acknowledged Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman who helped them facilitate the immediate release of their sacks of rice at the Bureau of Customs and Engr. Violeta Codilla of Ormoc for offering their warehouse. He assured that their intention for bringing Taiwan rice to the country was purely for “love”, no political and religious motivations. He begged those well-off to refuse accepting the goods and offer them to the needy. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
