Yasuhito Irinaka, UMDA Wholesale/Retail Inc.–Island Apparel director of operations, turned over donations worth over $10,000 to Rep. Rosemond B. Santos, who initiated the local relief drive for the tsunami victims in American Samoa.
On the same day, Irinaka also handed over assorted clothes worth $20,000 to Vice Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero and Rep. Diego T. Benavente, who joined the island-wide relief efforts for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines.
The two lawmakers then turned over the donated items, which included tote bags, infant and children clothes, short pants, polo shirts, towels, scarves and baseball caps, to the United Workers Movement, NMI.
UWM-NMI president Rabby Syed and his colleagues Jun Concillado, Ronnie Doca, and Ferdie Marte received the donations, which will be sent to Marikina City, the worst hit area in Metro Manila.
In an interview, Santos said after she was informed by her husband Gary Sword, a Samoan, about the disaster that hit the territory, she initiated an assistance campaign with the Samoan Community on Saipan headed by Jerome Ierome
“There’s a shortage of clothes for six to 16-year-old victims,” Santos said. “They need bed sheets, toys and clothes there.”
As of Tuesday, she said they were able to raise $200 in cash.
Irinaka said he was “very happy” to deliver the new and good quality clothes to the victims of calamities.
He said their branch office in the Philippines is also giving away assorted clothes to the typhoon victims.
“We are all affected one way or another,” he said.
Benavente and Deleon Guerrero thanked Island Apparel for its generosity.
