At least seven tons of highland vegetables were sent by groups of Cordillera farmers and various non-government organizations to aid the food needs of residents in Siargao Island who were badly affected by Typhoon Odette in December last year.

The donation activity dubbed “Operation Siargao” is a collaboration among the Cordillera farmers, Upland Linkages, and Bangads Philippines groups, among others.

Chelo Roces, the logistics planner of Operation Siargao, told reporters Thursday that the tons of vegetables included chayote, cauliflower, potatoes, and Baguio pechay.

The vegetable load arrived in Siargao Island on Wednesday.

Other than veggies, the group also sent clothes and other food donations such as canned goods, noodles, and water to the residents of the island.

“We are blessed to have the chance to bring it to them because the people of Siargao have been waiting. We weren’t able to bring the remaining two tons of vegetables because of the limited capacity of the plane but we have these assorted vegetables from Cordillera farmers,” Roces said.

Roel Catoto, one of the organizers of Operation Siargao, also told reporters that the logistics group on the ground will make sure that the vegetables will be dispatched immediately as these reliefs are perishable.

“This is a concerted effort of various private individuals and donors along with the government and non-government organizations,” Catoto said.

The vegetables will be distributed to the municipalities of Dapa, Del Carmen, Pilar, Burgos, and the two community kitchens in San Isidro town, and another two community kitchens in General Luna.

The organizers said they are grateful to Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana along with the Philippine Air Force for sending the C-130 Hercules to airlift the goods from Baguio to Siargao.

Mark Andrew Directo of M.A. Directo Foundation Inc, one of the major donors of Operation Siargao, said the goal of the activity was to help fellow Filipinos greatly affected by the typhoon and to embody unity, especially in the hardest times.

Roces said their group is ready to bring more vegetables and other relief assistance in the future as long as the C-130 is available to airlift the goods. (PNA)