MARAGUSAN, Davao de Oro — The Office of the Vice President Disaster Operations Center (OVP-DOC) on Thursday distributed a total of 1,052 relief boxes to earthquake-stricken towns of Davao de Oro .

The relief boxes were distributed, with help from the OVP Satellite Office, to residents of this town and the munipality of New Bataan, which were heavily affected by the March 7 earthquake.

This town was the epicenter of the 6.2 and 5.9 Magnitude quakes that caused landslides and damage to properties.

Mary Joy Formentera, a 23-year old mother of two, was among the residents whose houses could no longer be used due to massive cracks.

“Naglisud gyud mi sa nahitabo sa among pamilya tungod kay nag-evacuate mi diri sa Barangay Paloc sa sentro kay naagian amoa og linog ug nanga-damage among mga balay, dili na siya mapuy-an tungod delikado kaayo, nangliki ang mga semento sa sulod sa balay, na-bar-down ang atop sa among balay, ug dagko gyud kaayo siya ug leaking,” Formentera said.

Formentera’s family had evacuated in an open space, using a trapal as temporary shelter.

Iven Remoto, a 24-year old resident of Barangay Camanlangan in New Bataan, said the earthquake left him and his mother homeless.

“Pag-ambak nako sa gawas, na-feel gyud ang yuta nga mao pa’y pagnaog. Naa nako tunga sa kalsada kay kilid sa highway ra man among balay, mao gyud akong pagkakita sa balay nga niguho,” Remoto said.

Both Formentera and Remoto received the relief boxes which contained a mosquito net, hygiene and dental kits, slippers, masks and disinfectant alcohol.

“Dako kaayo ko’g pasalamat sa Office of the Vice President tungod kay siya nitabang sa amoa, nihatag siya og ayuda, nga wala mi gipasagdahan,” Formentera said.

“Nagpasalamat ko kay naghatag sila’g mga (relief boxes) samot na karon nga wala mi balay na,” Remoto said.

A box was provided to each household-- some 628 families in New Bataan and 424 in this town.

OVP Media