The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has launched a major relief effort for areas impacted by tropical storm “Kristine,” beginning with the distribution of 5,000 relief packs on Thursday. This is part of a larger initiative that includes a total of 53,000 prepared packs.

PAGCOR chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco announced that the relief efforts are focused on severely affected communities in the Bicol Region, Northern Luzon and CALABARZON.

“Since October 24, our volunteer teams have been working tirelessly to prepare thousands of relief goods for distribution to flooded areas,” Tengco stated. “Many major roads were impassable during Kristine’s peak, so we had to wait for the floods to recede. We managed to send out the first batch of relief items even while the storm was still affecting parts of the country.”

The City of Lipa in Batangas was the first to receive aid on the night of 24 October as roads had become accessible. The local government received 2,000 food and non-food packs for distribution to affected residents.

On Friday, PAGCOR donated an additional 3,000 relief packs to former Vice President Leni Robredo’s Angat Buhay Foundation. These items will be distributed in Naga City, which experienced severe flash floods due to the overflow of the Bicol River.

“This is just the beginning of our extensive relief drive for areas impacted by ‘Kristine,’” Tengco remarked. “We are coordinating with various local government units and agencies like the Office of Civil Defense to ensure the safe and prompt delivery of PAGCOR’s aid to displaced communities.”

The Bicol Region, which bore the brunt of the storm, will receive over 24,000 food and non-food relief packs from PAGCOR. These goods will be distributed to local government units in Albay, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, as well as to the provinces of Apayao, La Union, Quezon, Rizal and Ilocos Sur (Vigan City).