In the spirit of Bayanihan, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Regional Office MIMAROPA on Tuesday said it has been sending aid and support for typhoon victims here, adding that such assistance would be a significant uplift during this challenging time.
According to Jail Superintendent Mirasol Vitor, Assistant Regional Director for Administration, provisions of family food packs were given to 51 families, composed of 180 individuals, 82 children, including 22 packs for in-house evacuees and 35 excess packs, with the help of the regional office personnel, trainees and the BJMP MIMAROPA Lakan.
“It is already the 6th day after the typhoon and the days following the onslaught of Kristine have not been easy for some of our Kababayans, but gestures of kindness and small things like these uplift their spirits,” she said.
The grocery and food bags contain rice, canned goods, biscuits, cup noodles, bottled water, coffee sachets and other essential items.
She added, they take pride in the fact that they stay true to the Jail Bureau’s principles to driving change in communities by empowering people and leading the nation towards change.
The initiative included a feeding program, fun filled games, and song-and-dance performances with Barangay workers, aiming to assist typhoon victims and foster fellowship within the community.
Young and old alike, typhoon Kristine survivors have joined with all enthusiasm in doing all the activities in a psychosocial stress debriefing, ranging from drawing activities, physical exercises to self-esteem boosting acting exercises.
Regional Welfare and Development Officer, Senior Jail Officer 4 Annabelle Rosco explained the importance of the “Structured Play Activity” which is designed to explore the thoughts and emotions of children and prepare them towards coping from trauma and stress caused by their ordeal during the calamity.
Meanwhile, local authorities emphasized that many families who are currently staying in various shelters, including homes, schools and evacuation centers are still in need of non-perishable food items, as well as medicine, hygiene kits, innerwear, blankets, flashlights, and sleeping kits.
Typhoon Kristine unleashed heavy rains for several days, leading to severe floods and landslides that resulted in at least 59 fatalities in the Province of Batangas, according to the Office of Civil Defense. (JO3 Joefrie Anglo/BJMP MIMAROPA)
