HABAGAT (southwest monsoon) inflicted significant damage on many areas in Luzon last month, most notably towns and cities that lie below sea level. One such place is Pangasinan. Last month, Pres. Fred Pascual received a request for assistance from Pres. Delia de Guzman of the Rotary Club of Lingayen, a brother club of ours. Pres. Fred immediately forwarded the letter to PDG Pepito Bengzon, a native of Lingayen, so he could coordinate with RC Lingayen. The city had once again been submerged by floodwaters spawned by habagat’s unrelenting rains. As in past years, hundreds of families had no choice but to flee to temporary shelters where, in cramped spaces, they would stay for a number of days until the flood subsided.
On the 1st of September, PDG Pepito was in his hometown to lead the distribution of goodie bags to 330 families in Brgy. Bantayan and Brgy. Salasa. With PDG Pepz at the helm of the relief effort, the partnership with Puregold, which was initiated during his governorship in 2015-16, was reactivated to facilitate the sorting, packing, and delivery of the goods. PDG Pepz also attended the regular dinner meeting of RC Lingayen last Friday, 31 August. Our ties with RC Lingayen were established in RY2005-2006 during the term of PP Sonny Tambunting.