MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday said it has ordered the release of some 7,000 sacks of rice to be donated to those affected by super typhoon “Ompong” (international name “Mangkhut”).
“On Friday, Sept. 14, [Commissioner Isirdo] Lapeña signed the deed of donation for the 14 twenty-footer containers of rice which contain a total of 7,000 sacks of rice,” the BOC said in an emailed statement.
The shipments were earlier confiscated by the BOC at the Port of Cebu, and were released after orders of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III last week.
“Please release all seized rice and foodstuff in your possession to the DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] for possible disaster relief,” Dominguez told Lapeña.
“This is the way we should act – when there is typhoon, a situation that is very critical that needs our services, then we should be ready anytime to lend a helping hand to those who are in need,” said Lapeña.
According to data released by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday, a total of 59 individuals were reported to have been killed by the effects of Ompong as of 6:00 p.m. on September 16.
Ompong left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday evening, according to state weather bureau PAGASA. (GMA News)
