MACABEBE, PAMPANGA — “Walang Linggo kapag may bagyo!” declared Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda as she led relief operations in flood-stricken towns of Pampanga on Sunday, proving that public service knows no days off.
Braving the rains, the governor personally visited the heavily flooded barangays of Macabebe and Masantol to check on residents and distribute aid. She brought with her 28,945 family food packs from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
Of the total aid, 20,418 food packs were allocated to Masantol, while 8,527 went to Macabebe. Each pack contained six kilos of rice, canned goods, coffee, and cereal drinks.
“Malaki na po ang tubig sa amin… matumal ang benta sa tindahan. Napakalaking tulong po nitong food packs,” said Angelina Ebbay, a resident of Brgy. San Francisco in Macabebe.
The towns of Masantol and Macabebe were prioritized due to the number of severely affected barangays, with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reporting 54 barangays across Pampanga submerged due to continuous rains and high tide.
Joining the relief efforts were DSWD Region 3 Director Venus Rebuldela, Board Member Kaye Naguit, Masantol Mayor Dan Guintu, PSWDO Officer Fe Manarang, PDRRMO Chief Janica Yambao, and other key provincial officials.
The provincial government vowed to sustain relief and monitoring operations as flooding persists in several low-lying areas.