DMIA - NEWS

AirAsia to ferry relief good to Cagayan De Oro, Iligan AirAsia Philippines has launched the airbridge that will ferry relief goods from Manila to Cagayan De Oro and Iligan which were both wiped out by overflowing rivers and flash floods. "AirAsia Philippines which has its two Airbus 320s at the Clark airport, will ferry relief goods from Manila to Iligan and Cagayan De Oro non-stop," said Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President & CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano. Luciano said the AirAsia's airbridge will bring in relief goods to the stricken areas particularly in emergency shelters that house thousands of people who were left homeless by the tropical storm Sendong that reportedly killed more than 1,000 people and another 1,000 unaccounted for. Luciano noted that thousands of people were cramming the evacuation centers. The temporary shelters are running out of potable water and short of sanitation facilities. Luciano said that CIAC officials will participate in the relief efforts to ensure the smooth delivery of the relief goods in the hard-hit areas. AirAsia Philippines Chief Executive Officer Marianne Hontiveros has already coordinated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the seamless flow of relief goods to the calamity-stricken areas. Tropical storm Sendong spawned heavy rains, overflowing rivers and flash floods that wiped out whole villages along riverbanks in the coastal port cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. The government civil defense agency estimated death toll at 1,100 with 1,079 reported missing. Some 330,000 individuals have been displaced while another 69,000 were currently in emergency shelters. The local governments of Cagayan De Oro and Iligan noted that their employees and search team members would be working through the Christmas holidays in a bid to recover more bodies.

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