THE local governments in northern Metro Manila were all praises for the efforts of the biggest shopping mall in the country for extending assistance to over 3, 200 flood victims.
City officials said the simultaneous ‘Operations Tulong Express’ (OPTE) of the SM Supermalls and SM Foundation Inc. has largely helped the local governments in CaMaNaVa (Caloocan, Malabon-Navotas and Valenzuela) area in providing relief goods especially those at the evacuation centers.
Mayors Along Malapitan (Caloocan), Wes Gatchalian (Valenzuela) and Jeannie Sandoval (Malabon) told Good Riddance that their partnership with the mall management has been long-term and beneficial to their respective constituents.
“It (SM Supermalls) has been our partner in providing employment to thousands of jobseekers in Camanava areas through job fairs,” they said.
Following the recent flooding caused by Typhoon ‘Carina’-enhanced southwest monsoon (‘habagat’), the mall management led the simultaneous distribution of relief goods to the affected communities.
The SM City Grand Central and SM Center Sangandaan focused their relief operations on hardest-hit areas in Barangay Maypajo, Barangay 3 and Barangay 4 in Caloocan’s District 2 where over 1,000 families received ‘kalinga packs’ that contained rice, canned sardines, instant noodles and bottled waters.
More than 1, 000 relief packs were also distributed to the flood victims in Malabon through its volunteers from SM Savemore Malabon and SM Center Sangandaan.
The mall volunteers also conducted door-to-door relief pack distribution in Barangay Tañong and Barangay Potrero, also in Malabon.
Rounds of relief operations were similarly conducted by SM City Valenzuela in various evacuation centers where some 1,200 relief packs were distributed to the evacuees of Pinalagad Elementary School, Malinta National High School, and Malinta Elementary School.
“This initiative, in collaboration with local rescue teams, ensures that individuals and families unable to reach centralized relief centers receive the necessary aid directly at their homes,” the management said.
The Kalinga pack distribution effort is part of OPTE, a corporate social program of SM Foundation in collaboration with SM Supermalls and SM Markets.
It aims to address the needs of communities during calamities and crises. Its implementation includes close coordination with SM Supermalls employees and volunteers.
