Local municipalities kick off Rota relief effort

Leaders of the municipalities of Saipan and the Northern Islands announced their plans on their relief efforts to help residents of Rota during a briefing yesterday afternoon at the Saipan Mayor’s Office.

Local leaders included Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, Northern Islands Mayor Jerome Aldan, Saipan Northern Islands chair Antonia M. Tudela, and vice chair Alice Igitol, along with former representative William Torres and Saipan Mayor’s Office special assistant Henry Hofschneider.

During the briefing, Apatang said that he respective municipalities of Saipan, Northern Islands, and Tinian have joined together to raise funds for their sister-island of Rota, which is still reeling from the effects of Typhoon Dolphin last month.

“What we are going to be doing is to write solicitation letters out to the businesses for support to Rota and we’re going to be asking for donations such as non-perishable items throughout the month of June and then get it out to Rota,” Apatang said.

Aldan echoed Apatang’s words saying that they had decided to come together as a municipality to join and fulfill the sister islands needs.

“Anyone who wants to donate can donate and send it to my office [on Capitol Hill], Saipan Mayor’s Office here in San Jose at the Ladera Center, and the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council office in Chalan Kanoa near the post office,” Aldan said.

Tudela also urged and sought the community’s help as the people of Rota continue to recover.

“Many people on Rota had suffered hardship because of the disaster left behind by the typhoon. I believe that this is a great opportunity for all of us in the Marianas to come together, unite, and make every effort to help our sister island of Rota,” Tudela said.

The Tinian Mayor’s Office and the Tinian Municipal Council will hold their respective fundraising drives on Tinian.

However, Aldan said that since this is the first ever collaboration by all three municipalities, they are still in the planning stages.

Igitol said that aside from in-kind donations, monetary donations are also accepted. Checks can be made payable to the “Office of the Mayor of Rota.”

Apatang and Aldan said that solicitation letters to the businesses will be distributed out next Tuesday.