GMA Kapuso Foundation ready to give aid, some areas inaccessible

The GMA Kapuso Foundation (KF) is facing difficulty in distributing relief goods to those affected by Typhoon Uwan, as some areas remain inaccessible due to road closure, KF EVP & COO Rikki Escudero-Catibog said Monday.

“Naka pre-position ang GMA Kapuso Foundation. Ang problema, merong mga lugar na hindi namin maipasok o hindi namin mapasukan right now kasi blocked pa ‘yung road,” Catibog said on Balitanghali.

(The GMA Kapuso Foundation is pre-positioned. The problem is, there are some areas we can’t get into right now because the roads are still blocked.)

She said this was due to fallen posts and big trees. 

Signal No. 4 remained raised over 12 areas even after Uwan exited the Luzon landmass early Monday morning.

Escudero-Catibog said their teams could not access Dinalungan, Dipaculao, and Dingalan in Aurora; Camarines Norte; and Cagayan.

Uwan made landfall in Dinalungan on Sunday evening.

“Hindi pa cleared ‘yung daan papunta diyan sa three affected na municipalities. Tapos ganon din ang situation sa Cam Norte. Dahil meron din tayong naka standby doon, hindi rin makapasok,” Escudero-Catibog said.

(The problem is, the road going to the three affected municipalities hasn’t been cleared yet. It’s the same situation in Camarines Norte. Because we also have teams on standby there, but they also can’t get in.)

“Tapos ‘yung atin namang team na nasa Cagayan, waiting din kami. Kasi ang lakas daw ng hangin doon at saka hindi masabayan sa distribution kasi syempre safety first,” she added.

(Then our team in Cagayan is also waiting. Because the winds there are strong, and we can’t proceed with the distribution since, of course, safety comes first.)

According to Escudero-Catibog, they will start distributing aid in Catarman, Northern Samar this afternoon. GMA KF was also able to pre-position relief goods in Albay, she added.

Those willing to donate may go to the GMA Kapuso Foundation website. 

Escudero-Catibog said the Foundation also accepts in-kind donations.

"Ang mga kailangan natin diyan is mga delata na sana naman hindi naman ‘yung expiring. Hindi po tumatanggap ang GMA KF ng less than six months. And of course ‘yung cash,” she said.

(What we need are canned goods that, hopefully, are not close to expiring. GMA KF does not accept items with less than six months before expiration. And of course, cash donations as well.) — Joahna Lei Casilao/LA, GMA Integrated News