Cebu Governor Pamela K. Baricuatro on Wednesday, October 8, lauded the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for its swift response and unwavering dedication to public service following the devastating 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu and nearby provinces.
Governor Baricuatro praised PCSO’s immediate rollout of relief and medical assistance through its Bayanihan Aid Caravan, noting that the agency was among the first national institutions to reach affected communities.
“We are deeply grateful to PCSO for your quick response and compassion during Cebu’s most difficult hours,” Baricuatro said, emphasizing that the agency’s presence on the ground made a crucial difference for displaced families.
Within hours of the tremor, PCSO mobilized its regional branches and tapped its Authorized Agent Corporations (AACs) to deliver food packs, hygiene kits, and other essentials to the hardest-hit localities. Soon after, the Bayanihan Aid Caravan deployed teams to distribute ChariTimba packages, relief goods, and evacuation kits across northern Cebu—including Bogo City, San Remigio, Medellin, Borbon, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Daanbantayan, Bantayan, Santa Fe, and Madridejos.
In addition to immediate relief, the PCSO bolstered Cebu’s emergency healthcare capabilities with the turnover of 11 new ambulances and patient transport vehicles (PTVs) to various local government units. The beneficiaries included Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Naga City, Alegria, Asturias, Consolacion, Madridejos, Poro, San Francisco, Tabogon, and Tuburan.
“These patient transport vehicles will be critical in enabling faster, more reliable medical responses for our remote communities,” Baricuatro said, while also thanking President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for ensuring the rapid mobilization of national agencies during the crisis.
PCSO General Manager Melquiades A. Robles commended the agency’s field personnel and corporate partners for their resilience and commitment.
“Every minute counted after the quake. Our presence mattered most in those crucial moments,” Robles said. “Seeing our teams and partners cross land, air, and sea to reach our kababayans reaffirmed that public service is not just our duty—it is our calling.”
Local mayors and officials from the recipient municipalities also expressed their gratitude for PCSO’s timely assistance, citing that the thousands of ChariTimba relief packs and the newly donated PTVs will greatly strengthen local disaster response and rehabilitation.
The Bayanihan Aid Caravan will continue traversing other parts of the Visayas in the coming weeks—further reinforcing PCSO’s long-standing pledge that no Filipino community will be left behind in times of calamity.