The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Dumaguete Station, headed by Lt. Cmdr. Jansen Benjamin, has sent more than a ton of relief goods to the people in Cotabato and other parts of Mindanao who were displaced by the recent earthquakes.

Benjamin supervised the loading of the goods on Tuesday onboard the Coast Guard’s maritime patrol ship, BRP Suluan (MRRV 4406), which was docked at the port.

He said his office started receiving the relief goods from donors since a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Cotabato in October.

“The Coast Guard is very thankful for the support from the people in Dumaguete and Negros Oriental who responded very quickly by sending food and non-food items,” Benjamin said.

Among the relief goods are bottled water, canned sardines, noodles, other foodstuffs, and used clothing.

Benjamin said they were also waiting for the shipment of relief goods collected by the PCG in nearby Siquijor, scheduled to arrive that same day.

The BRP Suluan departed the Dumaguete port on Tuesday night bound for Cebu to drop off Army soldiers and members of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Visayas and other agencies who had participated in the 2-day “Malasakit Serbisyong Caravan” and “Dagyawan: Talakayan para sa Mamamayan” in Siaton and Sta. Catalina towns.

From Cebu, it will immediately proceed to Mindanao to ferry the relief goods, Benjamin said.

He said the sending aid to quake victims is a continuing effort as he appealed to more people to donate.

Once the collected items reach at least one ton, Benjamin will again request for a PCG vessel to bring the donations to Cotabato. (PNA)