(Eagle News) – To help people affected by the onslaught of typhoon “Ompong,” the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) immediately conducted relief operations, including the distribution of food and other needed items in various areas in Northern, Central and Southern Luzon starting Sunday, September 16.
Relief operations were in full swing as soon as “Ompong” (international name Mangkhut) left the country over the weekend leaving at least P16.76 billion in damage to agriculture, and still an undetermined amount of damage to infrastructure.
Under the directive of INC Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, the relief operations which were held in cooperation with the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation benefited both members and non-members of the INC.
Thousands of relief goods were distributed in Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Benguet and La Union on Sunday, September 16, a few hours after Ompong (international name Mangkhut) left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) late Saturday night, Sept. 15.
The INC’s Lingap sa Mamamayan or Aid to Humanity was also conducted in Abra, , Pampanga, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Laguna and other areas affected by the powerful typhoon in Luzon in the following days.
“Daglian po ang tulong ng Pamamahala. (The help coming from the Church Administration was immediate),” said INC District Minister Brother Augusto Galapon Sunday morning during the INC’s Lingap sa Mamamayan event in Tuguegarao City.
He noted that no other relief agency, and that not even government relief operations, had yet reached their area when the INC conducted its Lingap.
Beneficiaries noted how the INC’s relief goods were a big help to them coming on the heels of typhoon Ompong’s exit, as residents were still reeling from the damage brought to their homes, crops and livelihood by the typhoon.
As early as Sunday morning, the INC Lingap sa Mamamayan already reached several areas in Cagayan, including barangay San Jose and Brgy. Centro in the town of Baggao where Ompong first made landfall, Amulong, Tuguegarao City; and Isabela, particularly in Cauayan City and the town of Roxas.
In Ilocos Norte, the INC also conducted the Lingap sa Mamamayan in Batac and Laoag City on Sunday.
More INC relief operations were also conducted in Abra, La Union, Benguet including the landslide-hit mining town of Itogon in the following days.
Most of the relief operations were held in the vicinity or within the compound of the INC locales in the affected provinces. In Itogon, the INC also held relief operations on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at the Loacan elementary school grounds.
They were also given free medicines and vitamins.
Young and old, all those who came to the INC’s Lingap sa Mamamayan in the various provinces were given relief goods. There were also relief operations were doctors and nurses were also available to help the affected residents.
The Iglesia NI Cristo conducted relief operations, under its program, Lingap sa Mamamayan, in the landslide-hit mining town of Itogon in Benguet province on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Photo courtesy INC News and Updates)
