US forces donate food, clothing for Zambo fire victims

US soldiers stationed in Mindanao on Tuesday lent another helping hand to Filipinos in the area, this time donating rice and cash to victims of a fire that hit Zamboanga City last March 23. The Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines delivered the donated items to the Zamboanga City chapter of the Philippine National Red Cross. "US military service members have donated bags of rice and taken up money collections in an effort to support and aid victims of the March 23 fire in Zamboanga City, which burned down 816 houses and displaced nearly 2,600 people," the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement. It said the goods were delivered along with donations of rice and clothing from the Armed Forces of the Philippines. "We are so happy and grateful to see the U.S. and Philippine armies joining hands together to help the people of Zamboanga. It makes the burden a little lighter for us," it quoted Virginia Ramos, Chairman of the Zamboanga City Chapter of the Red Cross, as saying.-GMANews.TV