| President Rodrigo Roa Duterte visited and cheered up children with cancer at a government hospital in Mindanao a few hours before Christmas Eve.
The Southern Philippines Medical Center’s House of Hope in Davao City which the President traditionally visits on Christmas eve has 229 patients, 72 with cancer and 157 non-cancer patients.
President Duterte gave away gift packs of biscuits, candies, tetra pack juices, toys, and canned goods to the cancer-afflicted children and their caretakers.
For a moment, the children and their parents or carers were given a respite from their usual pains and worries brought about by the dreaded disease.
Duterte brought smiles and laughter to the children and the adults present at his gift-giving activity composed mostly of the children’s parents, relatives, watchers, as well as medical personnel of the hospital.
The House of Hope was established to provide a place to stay for children undergoing treatment for cancer as well as their parents and watchers.
Many of the children undergoing treatment at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao come from remote areas in Mindanao. Some of the children come as far as the provinces of Surigao and Agusan.
Even before Duterte became President, he was already a supporter of the House of Hope and the young cancer patients. (###PND) |
| “Government workers in the Bicol region, particularly those involved in disaster relief and operations, are working round-the-clock even on Christmas Day as typhoon Nina maintains its strength and continues to pose a serious threat to Bicol region.”
This is the statement of Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar citing PAGASA’s Severe Weather Bulletin #14.
As of 2PM Christmas Day, tropical cyclone warning signal # 4 has been raised in Catanduanes and Camarines Sur. Tropical cyclone warning signal # 3, on the one hand, has been raised in Albay, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, and Burias Island while tropical cyclone warning signal # 2 has been raised in Masbate and Ticao Island.
The regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol reported that as of noon today, 4, 312 passengers have been stranded, 36 barangays have been affected, 1,878 families have been affected, 8, 708 persons have been affected.
There are 22 total number of evacuation centers in Bicol.
Currently, DSWD Bicol has provided 732 family food packs, 2,549 ready to eat meals, 1,585 malong, 885 plastic mats, 885 mosquito net, 885 blankets and 585 dignity kits amounting to Php 1,798,174.30 to 27 Local Government Units. |
| President Rodrigo Roa Duterte spends Christmas with the survivors of the Midsayap Bombing at the Anecito T. Pesante Sr. Memorial Hospital.
The bombing happened on the eve of December 24, 2016 when an explosion with a 30-meter blast radius hit 18 innocent civilians attending the Christmas Eve Mass at Sto. Nino Church in Midsayap, North Cotabato.
There were 18 documented wounded victims of the bombing; three were admitted at the Anecito T. Pesante Sr. Memorial Hospital, Co., two in Cotabato Regional Medical Center, one in Southern Philippines Medical Center, and 12 others are outpatients.
During the visit, the President personally handed over an envelope containing financial assistance to the 15 survivors present in the hospital.
Among those were: Arnel del Rio Silvano, Jeanelyn del Rio Silvano, Clint John del Rio Silvano, Russel Palma Jarapan, Kent Steven R. Pacquiao, Jonel R. Orquiola, Arissean Gabrielle Bagot, Little Joy Singco, Princess Nicole Cadondoy, Ejimar Bargaso Loquis, SPO4 Johnny Caballero, Phtricia Rosete, Ronaldo Ventura Celis (admitted), Cheyser Mae Macayendeg Rosete (admitted), Jessa Mae Banlawi (admitted).
The Chief Executive also promised the survivors a full payment to the hospital and outpatient expenses.### |
