In conjunction with DSWD Alfonso, RIMM received a list of commodity items urgently requested by the evacuees which included sleeping mats, blankets, underwear of all ages, size and gender and pails and dippers for sanitary use.

RIMM immediately provided pails and dippers while however requested further assistance to our district 3810. Governor Liza Elorde swiftly responded and the district’s relief team provided a truck load of sleeping mats, underwear and diapers.

Gina Vedan of DSWD Alfonso further requested plastic plates as while there are enough food supply, the evacuees were eating out from plastic bags using their hands. On the same day of the district giving, RIMM immediately purchased 1,000 plastic plates and distributed them to evacuees through Gina.

As daily needs change often with the situation of the evacuation site, RIMM will continue working closely with DSWD Alfonso.

Former Rotarian presidents of RIMM had been invited to the event as it was known that RIMM Rotarians (Rotary International Club Multinational Manila) had personally conducted three support tours to the disaster-stricken areas of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and that one of its members – a doctor residing in Japan – also volunteers her services to “Japan Heart“. Japan Heart, a Japanese NGO, dispatches groups of volunteer doctors and nurses to Southeast Asian countries during natural disasters and can be of great assistance in the Philippines during such destructive calamities.

Past RIMM president Casey, a native of Japan, discussed his contacts with Japan Heart and followed up with arranging a person-to person meeting with Colonel Pascual and Major De Sagun in January 2016 as the representative of Japan Heart will visit the Philippines for the purpose of expanding its services to the Philippines.