TUCP Party-List reaches-out to “Ondoy” survivors in Valenzuela

03 October 2009, Valenzuela City. –Two hundred forty-five (245) local union officers and members of four (4) companies who have fallen victims of harsh typhoon “Ondoy” benefitted from the relief operation held on 03 October 2009 in Valenzuela, Metro manila by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and its political arm, the TUCP Party-List.

Two TUCP teams were dispatched today to visit and distribute relief packages to affected union members. One is Valenzuela and the other is at a garment factory in Taytay, Rizal.

Each relief bag contains two kilos of rice, canned goods, and instant noodles.

Your browser may not support display of this image. Local union presidents assisted the TUCP Team in the handing relief bags to workers who belong to the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Workers Union (PACIWU), an affiliate of the TUCP. Union officers ensured orderly cueing and monitoring of the distribution process.

Grace Park International Employees Union President Noel Baculad said: “Our workplace ceased operation for several days. Our union office is equally devastated by the flood which was chest-deep. Many of our members opted to stay home this weekend to secure their homes and families from the looming typhoon Pepeng.”

Your browser may not support display of this image. “We have no choice but to come to work when our company resumed operation. Our work is our only source of livelihood. We have to leave our families home to clean up the mess and salvage anything that we can still use in our flooded houses,” says Bestank Employees Union President Marlon Montemayor.

Your browser may not support display of this image. Bestank HR Manager Aimee Roessler opined: “We can only do as much for our workers. We welcome and appreciate TUCP’s effort in helping our workers cope with the impact of the flooding that affected many companies in Valenzuela.”

Still reeling from the deadly “Ondoy”, another typhoon poses threat to scores of people particularly those who have been gravely affected recently. Billed as supertyphoon, “Pepeng” (international code name: Parma) was earlier estimated to have a tailwind strength of 200 kilometers per hour. Although weather forecasting officials have announced the weakening of “Pepeng,” people are not taking chances.

A general trauma is still evident among Manila residents. Scores of people scramble for shelter bringing along anything that their hand can carry at the very instant of rain.

The TUCP will carry-on with its relief operations and commits to extend help to union members, their families and communities as far as its human and fund resources can go.