Ousted president Joseph Estrada on Friday brought assistance to 3,300 victims of Typhoon Frank in Northern Negros Occidental.Estrada and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay with former Senate President Ernesto Maceda distributed food packs to 1,500 families in Cadiz City, 1,300 in Sagay City and 500 in Manapla. Maceda said the donations worth P800,000 came from Estrada and the city of Makati. Each pack contains three kilos of rice, sardines, milk noodles, corned beef and candy. Frank devastated the Cadiz City fishing industry leaving 48 dead and 82 fishermen still missing, Cadiz Vice Mayor Samson Mirhan said. In Barangay Molocaboc, Sagay City, 100 houses were destroyed and 80 were damaged, Mayor Alfredo Maraņon Jr. said. Maraņon said Estrada was distributing assistance to those who lost their houses and indigents in the area. As early as 8 a.m., people waiting to see the Estrada gathered at the Cadiz public plaza for his noontime visit. Estrada said many families in Cadiz lost their breadwinners with 82 fishermen still missing at sea and many more still reeling from the devastation, the nation should sit up and take notice. Estrada said he would mobilize his Erap para sa Mahirap (Erap for the Poor) Foundation to help. "I will help where I can," he vowed. Estrada said he also called on the countries top 100 corporations to do their corporate social responsibility for the typhoon victims. "I feel so bad seeing these people suffer," Estrada said. He also delivered assistance to Frank victims in Panay and Romblon. "We have helped about 200,000 families," he said. Estrada also called on the media to highlight the plight of the typhoon victims to make the nation aware that they still need help. Estrada said that even if he is no longer president, it his commitment to help the poor. "It is the poor he watched my movies, voted me in to office and stood by me," he added. Estrada said he was not trying to have a compete with President Macapagal-Arroyo. "Even as citizen Erap, I want to help the poor who patronized my movies and elected me to my office," he said. Maceda said it probably was just coincidence that Ms Arroyo was going to places, such as Panay and Romblon, where they had delivered assistance. "If our going to these places is triggering more relief from government, then that is good," he said. INQUIRER | 
