Volunteers unloading a sack of relief packs to recipient families in Barangay Suba, Cebu City, Cebu.

Alibyo Cebu-Ayuda Network, a multisectoral alliance of workers, urban poor communities, farmers, students, teachers, health workers, among others, is now on its 10th day of leading the first, largest and longest-running relief operations in Metro Cebu since Dec. 17, the day after the onslaught of Typhoon “Odette” (international name: Rai).

Initially united by a common call for financial assistance and other relief initiatives amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Alibyo Cebu-Ayuda Network now busies itself providing relief assistance to the poorest communities and those heavily affected by Typhoon “Odette.” These civic groups have stepped up amid lack of government response.

With the help of volunteers tapped through social media, the network coordinates the repacking and distribution of relief goods and sets up community kitchens in various urban poor communities in Metro Cebu.

As of this writing, the network has released 1,864 relief packs and shared around 1,700 community meals across Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City. They aim to provide relief assistance to the rest of the affected areas in Cebu province and its satellite islands until donations last.

Calamity funds

“As we continue our relief operations, we also amplify the call to urgently release calamity funds and to ensure that these funds actually reach the typhoon affected victims,” said Cleisteil Cimafranca, convenor for Alibyo Cebu-Ayuda Network.

Volunteers serving warm “lugaw” to resident evacuees at Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City, Cebu. — ALIBYO CEBU-AYUDA NETWORK photos

In partnership with Tulong Guro, Tabang Mamumuo, Friends of the Farmers, Friends of the Poor, Bayang Matulungin, Damayang Migrante, Tulong Kabataan, Bayan Central Visayas and UCCP West Visayas Jurisdictional Area, Alibyo Cebu-Ayuda Network is still accepting donations and transportation assistance through the following channels:

Cash donations—GCash 09360758493 (Aura Mae E.); BPI account No. 3619182633 (Sta. Ana B. Aures);

For in-kind donations: UCCP-Cendet, 85 Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City, Cebu 6000. (Tel. 0915-8270923, 0931-7863789; Alibyo Cebu-Ayuda Network on Facebook, @AlibyoCebu, Twitter)

Cebu was among the provinces ravaged by Odette last Dec. 16, with at least 316,338 families displaced, at least 57,557 houses destroyed, and 96 people dead, as per the latest report of Cebu’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. —CONTRIBUTED INQ

The author is a student correspondent from Cebu.