EDC officials, SIKAT scholars and other guests at the VMR’s hedge garden dedicated to former Lopez Group chairman emeritus Oscar M. LopezEnergy Development Corporation (EDC) donated food packs and drinking water to Mt. Mayon-affected families in evacuation centers in Albay.

A total of 2,500 pieces of 20- liter jugs of drinking water with refills and food packs containing rice, canned goods, coffee, powdered milk, instant noodles, soap and detergent were turned over to Camalig Mayor Caloy Baldo and Albay Gov. Edcel Greco Lagman by the EDC Bacon-Manito (Bacman) team. More than 600 packs of diapers were also distributed for the affected children.

EDC employees volunteered and personally distributed the food packs and gallons of water to evacuees in Anoling Elementary School and Bariw Elementary School.

Eduardo Jimenez, EDC Bacman corporate relations department head, led the turnover of donations and highlighted employee volunteerism in the organization during the relief operations.

“It is very important that affected families and those in the evacuation centers have access to clean drinking water and sufficient food supply. Our employees have gathered together and volunteered to visit the evacuation centers to distribute the goods and talk to them,” Jimenez said.

He added that aside from the basic needs, evacuees need emotional support to ease their anxieties about their situation.

“Your EDC kapamilya is always ready to support and assist our government units as well as provide relief goods to augment the assistance from the government, private groups and other organizations,” he added.

EDC’s partnership with the Camalig local government unit and Albay was intensified and strengthened during the tragic Cessna incident early this year. The area was then under Alert Level 2 but, for humanitarian reasons, the province permitted EDC to continue their search and retrieval operations.

The Camalig mayor, as the incident commander, together with the Albay Provincial Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, showed undeniable support and directly worked with the team during those times.

“This donation of relief goods, at the very least, is also EDC’s way of giving back to our stakeholders, our way of thanking them and showing them that in times of need and distress, EDC can also be relied on,” Jimenez asserted. 

EDC Bacman employee volunteers join the corporate relations team during the turnover of food packs and drinking water to Camalig as Mayor Caloy Baldo (center) receives the goods

(Story/Photos by:Jolly Jamoralin)