The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has deployed P50 million worth of relief and medical assistance to Cebu and Masbate through its nationwide Aid Caravan, in partnership with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

Departing on Sunday, Oct. 5, the caravan carries food packs, medicines, and essential supplies for families affected by recent calamities, bringing with it what the agency described as “a strong message of compassion, unity, and government service in action.”

As of Oct. 5, PCSO and its partners have prepared and dispatched 18,220 Charitimba packs, 4,041 evacuation kits, 664 boxes of medicines, and 7,974 relief items from its Authorized Agent Corporations (AACs), with the total value reaching ₱50 million, excluding transportation costs.

PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles emphasized that the aid figures represent not just statistics but the agency’s solidarity with affected communities.

“Behind every pack and every delivery is the compassion of a nation that stands with its people,” he said in a statement.

The PCSO said the Cebu Caravan, composed of three PCSO buses, eleven PTVs, and five MMDA dump trucks, will travel by land to assist families in earthquake-affected areas. 

Meanwhile, the agency said the Masbate Caravan, consisting of six PCSO wing vans and one PTV unit, will bring relief goods and medical supplies to Burias and Ticao Islands, two of the hardest-hit areas.

In a joint statement, PCSO’s Robles, MMDA Chairman Atty. Romando S. Artes, and LRTA Administrator Atty. Hernando R. Cabrera said the P50-million Aid Caravan embodies the Filipino people’s enduring spirit of bayanihan amid adversity.

“In the face of disaster, the Filipino people have always shown that no challenge is too great when we come together,” the officials said, emphasizing that the caravan’s mission goes beyond delivering relief and medical aid as it stands as a testament to compassion and unity in action.

They also urged the public to keep the bayanihan spirit alive by donating through LRTA stations, noting that “every small contribution becomes part of a greater force of compassion that strengthens our nation.”