More relief efforts pour in for Saipan typhoon victims

Numerous donations and contributions for relief efforts continue to pour in for Saipan in the aftermath of Typhoon Soudelor, which leveled hundreds of homes and left thousands of local residents without power and electricity.

Pacific Century Fellows Class of 2015’s Ed Arriola Jr. is collaborating with his fellow PCF Class of 2015 batchmates, Guam senators Frank Blas, Tony Ada, Tina Barnes, Ray Gibson, and Mindy Aguon and the rest of the Ayuda Foundation in the relief effort.

Arriola said that so far Matson Navigation has donated a container and the relief goods inside the container—donated by the Guam community—will be distributed to Saipan via a U.S Navy ship.

The container is already half full with bottled water and other items and announcements of drop off dates are on Saturday and Monday at the University of Guam’s Fieldhouse.

“Based on the number of calls and inquires to the Ayuda Foundation, this container will be full by the time it arrives. Our responsibility, as the receiving party [PFC Class of 2015] will be to properly distribute these items to the most needy. Understood that one container will not help all those in need,” Arriola said.

“We want to make sure that we, as Fellows, are responsible in properly distributing these items out to those most in need. We’re going to distribute in the most effective way as of now and that is we personally drive and drop to those most in need. We will reach out to the village level and the American Red Cross to give us data on who needs these items. Then we’ll pack and distribute equally,” he added.

Arriola said that many friends in Guam were calling and messaging his father and inquiring if they could do anything to help.

He also said that PFC Class of 2015 wanted to recognize those people on the ground that are donating their time, efforts, and money to help those in need.

In a Facebook post, Blas thanked everyone for the Saipan typhoon relief drive.

“Thank you as well to Matson Navigation for the 40-foot container, Pacific Trucking for delivering the container, Johnny Cool for the use of forklift, the Santa Teresita Parish for the food, and most especially to Dave Okada and the UOG staff for use of the facility,” Blas stated.

“We will continue to accept donations of bottled water, paper products, non-perishable food, rice, hand wipes, toiletries, disposable diapers, batteries, and other items you believe may be useful to the victims of the storm,” he added.

Relief drives will be held today, Monday, from 8am to 5pm.

Arriola said that they had already started filling the container yesterday and will continue until Tuesday in Guam.

“They will send it up here on Thursday and as soon as it arrives the Fellows will be distributing and go ahead and distribute it out as soon as we get them,” Arriola said.