Daraga: Daraga Mayor Victor Perete on Wednesday expressed his gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the provision of 54 rescue vehicles funded via the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF). This initiative aims to enhance the emergency response capabilities across the municipality's 54 barangays.
According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Perete emphasized that the vehicles will enable each barangay to establish its own rescue unit, thus minimizing the dependency on the municipal government's singular rescue vehicle during emergencies. "We are very grateful, especially to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. This is a big help because the LGU's rescue vehicle will no longer have to travel to the barangays. They will have their own vehicle to use in rescuing our residents," he stated.
Perete confirmed that all 54 barangays would benefit from the initiative, with the distribution of vehicles scheduled to commence on September 4. The municipality received an initial batch of 26 units on September 1, marking the start of the vehicle allocation process.
Kenny Pinto, the Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) chairperson of Barangay Matnog, highlighted the significant impact of the additional rescue vehicles, particularly for communities situated near Mayon Volcano and those frequently battered by strong typhoons. "As a resident living near Mayon and experiencing strong typhoons, I can say that this will help enable faster rescue of my fellow residents," Pinto remarked. He also noted that the vehicles could serve vital roles in medical emergencies and traffic accidents, urging local officials to ensure proper maintenance and sufficient funding for fuel and repairs.
Sheryn Miras, another resident of Matnog, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of having a rescue vehicle available for Mayon-related evacuations and other emergencies. "It will help address the needs, especially in Barangay Matnog, which is near the foot of Mayon. When the volcano becomes active, residents need to evacuate. It will also help when someone needs assistance, such as in an accident," Miras said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
