IPINALABAS ng Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)nitong Martes ang P10 milyon bilang calamity fund para maayudahan ang mga biktima at naapektuhan ng bagyong 'Urduja' na nanalasa sa Kabisayaan at karatig na lalawigan sa Luzon.

Patuloy na nagsasagawa ng relief operation ang National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) para mabantayan ang kaganapan at sa kasalukuyan naitala na 40 ang namatay dulot ng baha at landslide, habang may 24 pang nawawala.

Pinakamatinding tinamaan ang lalawigan ng Samar, Leyte, higit ang Biliran kung saan naganap ang sunod-sunod na landslide.

Sinabi ni PCSO Chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz na magpapalabas pa ang ahensiya ng karagdagang tulong matapos ang pagpupulong ng Board ngayon.

“We initially approved the immediate release of P10 million to buy for medicines and water for the typhoon victims. We have a yearly calamity fund of P100 million approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for natural and man-made disasters. For 2017, we’ve more than P95 million left. So we can use that for the typhoon victims,” pahayag ni PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan.

Iginiit ni Balutan na irerekomenda niya sa Board na maging ang bahagi ng pondo na gagamitin sa pagdiriwang ng Kapaskuhan ng mga empleyado ay ilalaan sa pambili ng mga gamot at pangangailangan ng mga biktima.

“We immediately come to the aid of calamity victims and this is our priority as a charitable government agency,” sambit ni Balutan.

“I have instructed all our branches in the typhoon-affected provinces to open their offices 24 hours a day to cater patients and deliver medical services to the affected residents. Same instruction I gave to all other branch offices in the Visayas to come to the aid of calamity victims,” aniya.