THE PHILIPPINE Constructors Association (PCA) has mobilized its member construction firms, chapters, and affiliates to provide not just relief goods for the families affected by the recent typhoons Rolly and Ulysses but also trucks and equipment as well as technology that are used to clear the streets blocked by debris following heavy flooding in various part of the country.
The group created a task force to immediately respond to the needs of the different provinces affected by the successive deadly typhoons. The PCA Task Force Rolly + Ulysses completed over the weekend the clearing operations in Marikina where over 40,000 households were submerged in roof-high floods after the Marikina River swelled to unprecedented levels at the height of Typhoon Ulysses’ fury.
Established in 1945, PCA was formed by a group of Filipino industrialists to help rebuild the country from the ravages of war. At present, it counts among its members the country’s highest-rated construction firms and property developers. Today, it continues its mission as it helps rebuild cities and towns from the devastation of one natural disaster after the next.
The PCA readily lent around 50 units of equipment, including dump trucks, back hoe, skid hoe, and payloaders, technical expertise and manpower to operate the machines for the Marikina clearing operations. This allowed the completion of the clean-up of the main roads in the city within seven days.
“We saw the people rejoicing when we arrived at the areas for clearing. They were really happy to see the back hoe and other equipment coming in,” said PCA Task Force Chairman Jerry Pancho, noting that many streets had been impassable due to the amount of debris and thus, relief operations in the hardest hit areas had also been limited.
The PCA Task Force is now mobilizing the delivery of much needed construction materials such as roofing, plywood, and nails to rebuild damaged houses in the Cagayan Valley region which also suffered from severe flooding due to the heavy rains brought by Typhoon Ulysses.
The group through its member firm DDT Konstract Inc. has also sent an initial batch of relief goods to Cagayan, mostly rice, as the immediate need of the residents there is food since the typhoon damaged their crops that were ready for harvest.
PCA has also sent some equipment for clearing operations in Bulacan, mostly to cut and remove trees felled by the typhoon.
Earlier, the Filipino contractors’ group also sent a truckload of relief goods made up of rice, canned goods, noodles, and milk to Albay province for the families displaced by Typhoon Rolly which severely battered the Bicol region. Its member EEI Corp. also sent a water filtration unit to the island province of Catanduanes, among the worst hit in the region. Another active member, DATEM, has partnered with the Tanging Yaman Foundation for its relief operations in various areas affected by the successive typhoons. PCA General Counsel Atty. Ellen Francisco has also tapped the UST Law Alumni Foundation where she is an officer for 110 sacks of rice that will be sent to Cagayan.
“We are overwhelmed by the support given by our members. As builders, we have really been committed to building our country. Thus, we are one with our people during times of disaster. Our members are always ready to provide the necessary resources and actively respond to any calamity,” said PCA President Wilfredo Decena.
For the clearing operations of the Task Force led by Noel Flores of PCA Marivalley, the participating groups were C.M. Pancho Construction, DDT Konstract, Megawide Construction, EEI, J.E. Manalo Construction, Will Decena and Associates Inc., Monark, PCA Marivalley Chapter (Big Boy Construction, JAPCON, and Numerit), PCA Metro (MAC), Association of Carriers and Equipment Lessors Inc., and Tokwing Construction.
Other contributors to the PCA relief efforts were CW Home Depot, DM Wenceslao, LIVAN Trade, Bulakeño General Contractors Association, Inc., Contractors Association of Negros Oriental, Inc. (CANOI) – RACCT Construction, Cebu Contractors Association (CCA), Davao Constructors Association Center Inc. (DCACI), PCA Metropolitan, PCA Pangasinan (with CA Dion Construction), Association of Carriers and Equipment Lessors Inc. (ACEL), Women in Infrastructure (WIFI), Society of Philippine Electrotechnical Constructors and Suppliers Inc. (SPECS), and American Concrete Institute Philippines (ACIP).
“The PCA, together with its members and affiliates, is always on-call whenever a calamity strikes. This year alone, we extended various forms of support to help our countrymen to rise from the unprecedented challenges that we faced from the eruption of Taal Volcano early this year to the COVID-19 pandemic and now, the successive deadly typhoons,” noted PCA Executive Director Barry Paulino.