MANILA-Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada visited the victims and displaced residents of Rizal on Thursday afternoon who were affected by the Southwest Monsoon or “Habagat” enhanced by Tropical Storm “Maring.”
The heavy downpour which started last weekend continued until Wednesday and triggered massive floods and landslides across the Western and coastal provinces of Luzon, including Metro Manila.
Sen. Estrada also led a relief operation and distributed around 2,000 bags containing rice, canned goods, bread, drinking water, milk and coffee in Gruar covered court in Barangay Sto. Domingo in Cainta, Rizal.
Jinggoy arrived onsite with his wife Precy and youngest daughter Julienne, and was joined by Mayor Kit Nieto, Vice Mayor Pia Velasco, and other barangay officials.
Seven-year old Julienne also personally gave out candies to fellow kids.
“Muli tayong hinagupit ng Habagat na nagdulot ng malawakang pagbaha at matinding pinsala sa imprastraktura, ekonomiya at mga pribadong ari-arian. Ngunit tiwala ako na mabilis tayong makakabangon sa trahedyang ito sa pamamagitan ng pagtutulungan, pagmamalasakit sa kapwa at bayanihan,” Jinggoy remarked.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that
36 barangays, 7,952 families and more than 34,279 persons in Rizal were affected by the Habagat.
The Province of Rizal was also placed under a state of calamity.
In the municipality of Cainta alone, five out of its seven barangays were affected and were submerged in 4-6 feet deep floodwater, prompting at least 2,740 families to move and temporarily seek shelter in evacuation centers.
