To help flood victims in the National Capital Region (NCR) and its immediate environs, Philippine Airlines (PAL) provincial stations are accepting high value relief goods for free airlift to Metro Manila.
The humanitarian cargo grant is part of the flag carrier’s disaster response initiative following massive flooding in the metropolis and surrounding areas..
Reputable non-profit, socio-civic or religious organizations may avail of PAL’s free airlift to send high value relief goods to their counterparts or partners in NCR on space available basis on PAL domestic flights.
Interested charitable or non-profit organizations should email the PAL Foundation Executive Director—  menchu_ sarmiento@pal.com.ph - with a packing list of high value relief items, number, sizes and weight in kilos of the boxes, and their counterpart NGO or consignee’s complete contact details.
Items like rice, instant noodles, sardines, and used clothing which are readily available in the vicinity of calamity-stricken areas are not considered high value relief goods and therefore ineligible for PAL’s humanitarian cargo grant.
Food products originating from the provinces like bananas from Davao or fish from Gensan will be considered. Surplus medical supplies of provincial LGUs are especially preferred.
Donations of brand new personal care items, women’s hygiene products, baby diapers, underwear and the like are also considered high value but only if brand new. Water purifying tablets, working flashlights, battery-operated radios and the like are also most welcome.
DepED mulling additonal 2 hours to schools affected by flooding
The Department of Education is considering adding an additional hour or two to schools which were affected by the flooding.
This would mean that the normal school hours of each student per day would have an additional hour or two before they go home, to allow the teachers and students to make up for lost time.
DepEd assistant secretary and spokesman Tonisito Umali said this is one of the remedies being thought of by the agency, to ensure that the 180 non-negotiable teachings days would not be compromised.
The suggestion came as a remedy for Saturday classes, wherein parents would be forced to shoulder additional allowance days.
“It’s a suggestion. As a remedy for Saturday make-up classes so that parents need not shell out additional money,” Umali told the Daily Tribune.
The DepEd has allotted 200 school days each year, with 20 days being a buffer for those to be spent in sudden holidays and class suspensions.
But Umali said this is just a suggestion and is not to be implemented yet.
“We are studying the possibility. But it is not final. Anyway, the maximum of the 20 days buffer is still there and the 180 days is still not affected. If it reaches or is near it, we have to make a decision about it if additional hours of class or make up classes during Saturday,” Umali stressed.
Classes have been suspended for at least three days this week, with last week having suspensions as well.
Umali added that they also have to consider the situation of the students and the schools itself which are being used as evacuation centers.
Over 160 schools in flood-affected areas are currently providing shelter for over 14,000 families affected by flooding due to continuous rains in Luzon.
Jason Faustino