PACQUIAO TO RAISE FUNDS FOR YOLANDA SURVIVORS IN THE U.S.
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 03 Dec 2013
Saddened by what he saw in his three-day visit to the provinces of Samar and Leyte which were hardest-hit by the wrath of super-typhoon Yolanda, boxing icon Manny Paquiao plans to go to the United States to raise funds for the victims of the strongest typhoon that struck the county.
?Nakapanlulumo at nakalulungkot ang nakita ko doon,? Pacquiao said in a long distance telephone interview upon setting foot at the General Santos City Airport yesterday morning. ?People there need more than the relief goods we had given them. They need houses so they can move on and live a new life.?
?I am planning to go to the U.,S. anyway before the end of the year, so I might as well ask my friends there for help so we can help in building them roofs over their heads, which they are in bad need,? Pacquiao, who along with his all-male team left GenSan last Saturday, said.
?While malungkot talaga ako sa nakita kong kalunos-lunos na kalagayan ng mga kababayan natin sa mga bayang binisita namin, medyo natutuwa na rin ako at nakapagbigay ako at ang team ko ng kahit pansamantalang laligayahan sa mga taong nadatnan naming,? Pacquiao said.
?Talaga namang naging masaya ang mga tao nang Makita si Manny. Lahat ng madaanan ng sasakyan ni Manny, naglalabasan ang mga tao sa mga evacuation center upang kahit na paano ay kumaway sa kanya,? Caloy Homo, the eight division champ?s chief security officer attested in a separate interview with this writer.
?Malaking bagay ang pagpunta ni Manny sa mga bayang binisita niya. Damang-dama mo na nakapagbigay siya ng paga-asa sa mgxa tao na muling bumangon at mabuhay na muli,? Homo said.
From his chopper that flew Pacquiao and party to Eastern Samar, they proceeded to the town of Guiuan, said to be the first town that felt Yolanda?s landfall. The team distributed relief merchandize made up of canned foods, rice, bread and biscuits as well as clothing and bibles.
In Guiuan town, Pacquiao slept in a tent with evacuees but not until after conducting a bible study among the people. Ditto to the other towns he visited in the province.
He flew to Tacloban Sunday and was met at the airport by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and eldest sibling Benjamin Philip Romualdez.
From the destroyed Daniel Romualdez airport, Pacquiao was brought to the Tacloban City Hall where he spoke and urged Taclobanons to fight and rise and like he did when he beat Mexican-American Brandon Rios a week ago in Macau.
Like in Samar towns he touched bases with, he conducted bible rally at the City Astrodome. The Romualdezes toured Team Pacquiao around the city, including Barangay Suhi where he offered prayers for the hundreds of deaths wrapped in bag some still unburied.
Pacquiao spent the Sunday and Monday nights as guest in Rep. Romualdez?s house.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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