Catanduanes families whose lives, homes and livelihoods were ravaged by the recent Super Typhoon Pepito has welcomed the disaster response mission Team Albay Youth Organization (TAYO).

The relief mission, dubbed “Action and Compassion for Catanduanes,” will provide medical assistance, relief goods, psychosocial support and other aid to residents in the northern towns of Pandan, Panganiban, Gigmoto, Caramoran, Bagamanoc and Viga (Oplan PaPaGCaBaVi).

TAYO was dispatched by Albay Second District Representative Joey Salceda to provide relief, medical, water sanitation, communications, agriculture, rehabilitation and psychosocial interventions assistance.

Team Albay is a humanitarian and disaster relief mission initiated in 2007 by then Albay governor Salceda.

It also sent a disaster response mission to Tacloban City, Leyte in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013.

“Pepito wrought extensive damage on Catanduanes and has left many communities in a miserable and vulnerable state, so that we are compelled to extend assistance to our fellow Bicolanos,” Salceda said in a statement. 

Salceda will also provide P2 million each to Catanduanes Doctors Hospital, Immaculate Heart of Mary Hospital and Eastern Bicol Medical Center, to be sourced from his 2024 Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program under the Department of Health (DoH).

In a letter to DoH-Bicol officer-in-charge Director Rodolfo Antonio Albornoz, Salceda requested that his 2024 MAIFIP allocation be downloaded to the three hospitals in Catanduanes.

TAYO’s 60-man team is led by Albay Second District Office chief-of-staff Delton Triguero and mission heads Asher Jade Azul, Cathlea Madrona, Ryan Basanta and Rex Martin Aligan.

Oplan PaPaGCaBaVi’s other components are medical mission with mobile clinics from three Albay partner hospitals and P15 million funds secured from DoH; delivery of 1,200 7-liter bottled water; agricultural interventions with support from Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Program Coordinating Office of Catanduanes, including the delivery of 330 bags of hybrid palay seeds and efforts to increase the number to 1,560 bags; distribution of food and non-food packs; water sanitation initiatives to provide potable water through mobile filtration units from Polangui and Sto. Domingo towns in Albay and Maynilad; water filtration machines donated by Water Philippines of San Miguel Corporation to address the problem on safe drinking water; home rebuilding while awaiting material donations; and installation of five units of Starlink internet systems with four months’ data subscription.

Those who wish to donate can send monetary contributions to GCash number 0917-1420350 (Jade Azul) or China Bank account number 2016710011982 (Ryan Moncada Basanta). In-kind donations can be dropped off at 2F Ninong’s Hotel in Legazpi City or through Eph Yap at 0917-7711975.

For volunteer inquiries, contact Ryan Moncada Basanta at 0963-6981872 or Cathlea Madrona at 0966-4081332.