Super Typhoon Haiyan: Malaysia is first country to send aid to Burauen town
TACLOBAN (PHILIPPINES): With almost 98 per cent of the town ravaged by the onslaught of super typhoon Haiyan, the residents of Burauen town can only beg for help from other countries.
Burauen Mayor Fe Sudario Renomeron when met yesterday, pleaded with the Malaysian Government to extend assistance to enable the agricultural town to rise once again.
"We are begging and asking for help and prayers from the beautiful people of Malaysia.
"Our town...we cannot explain anymore...but we have to start from the beginning...now, all are gone so we are begging again for the Malaysian people, especially the president (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak)...please help us," she said.
The mayor was met late afternoon yesterday by reporters at the Disaster Operation Center at Palo Town near here when the Kelab Putera 1Malaysia (KP1M) was distributing food and medicines.
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| A KP1M volunteer doctor examines the residents of Burauen in Tacloban |
Responding to her cries for help, KP1M volunteers headed to the town located about an hour's drive from Tacloban City today, bringing along two military trucks, each loaded with food and medicines.
The arrival of the team at a relief centre in the town was greeted by thousands of its citizens lining up, with some relentlessly thanking the team while others were seen with tears welling up in their eyes.
Nadel Margello Sevillano, 41, when met by Bernama said it was the first time such humanitarian aid was despatched to their place since the typhoon.
"This was also the first time reporters from outside have come in, we are really grateful for the help," she said.
Sevillano moved to the town to work as a teacher and left her parents, two sons, sisters, brothers-in-law and her niece at Palo town, a 30-minute drive from Burauen.
"I am alone here, but worried over my family's condition, I cannot contact them since there is no transportation and communication. I just hope they are all safe," she said.
Another resident, teacher Abby Portillo, 28, is unsure about her future and that of the town. Nevertheless, she is relieved that she received food supplies from the Malaysian team today.
Meanwhile, the town mayor, Renomeron said she was blessed that she met KP1M chairman Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim yesterday and thanked Malaysians in general.
Elaborating on the aid, Abdul Azeez said KP1M would set up a field clinic in the town to carry out minor surgeries.
Burauen, an agricultural town, is one of 40 towns in the Leyte province of the Philippines which was badly affected by Typhoon Haiyan last Friday.
It was the biggest town in Leyte province with a 55,000 population, 12,000 house and 77 borangay (villages).
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