Army cancels Christmas revelry, donates funds to Odette victims
by RONALD O. REYES
THE Philippine Army personnel in Eastern Visayas has cancelled its traditional Christmas-get-together to save resources for the relief operations in Southern Leyte and Leyte provinces following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Odette (Rai).
“As we now send our troops to help in relief operations to areas affected by Typhoon Odette, particularly in the provinces of Leyte and Southern Leyte, the food and other resources we originally set aside for Christmas party will instead be repurposed to support our troops on relief operations mission,” said Major General Edgardo De Leon, commander of the 8th Infantry Division (8ID) based in Catbalogan City, Samar.
The Army, together with Philippine Air Force-Tactical Operations Group-Eastern Visayas, Philippine Navy’s Naval Task Group 2, and 546 Engineering Battalion, has initiated the “Task Force Bulig Southern Leyte and Leyte” for a “whole of region bayanihan” to the affected residents.
According to De Leon, they will provide manpower, sea, air, and land transportation to help in the collection, transport, and distribution of donations for the two devastated provinces.
“We would like to solicit relief goods from volunteers such as 20-liter containers with potable water, food, cooking kits, hygiene kits, toiletries and first aid kits,” said De Leon.
“I personally saw the situation of our constituents in Southern Leyte and Leyte. They are in need of immediate help and assistance,” added the army official.
Meanwhile, some 142 trainees who completed their basic military training set aside their traditional “training leave” to join in the humanitarian assistance and disaster response to typhoon victims.
“Christmas and New Year shall still be celebrated by our soldiers, but it would be primarily with their family and loved ones. Only the traditional unit party was cancelled,” said Captain Ryan Layug, spokesman of 8ID.
“Our efforts shall be limited to augmenting the efforts of the Office of Civil Defense following the Regional Disaster and Risk Reduction Management system of the region,” added Layug.
The 8ID personnel were already on “red alert” prior to the landfall of Super Typhoon Odette in the region on December 16, 2021. (SunStar Philippines)
