By Frauleine S. Villanueva |Posted on August 25, 2015
Tan Holdings Corp. has been doing its part to be of assistance to Saipan as it recovers from the destruction of Typhoon Soudelor.
Last Aug. 13, Tan Holdings officials, employees, and volunteers went around some villages to visit households and personally deliver much needed relief items.
“We basically provided every home that had an occupant,” vice president for corporate business development Alex Sablan said.
Tan Holdings was able to give 200 relief kits to homes in Tanapag, Achugao, and San Roque.
“While there are many devastated areas, these are the areas that were hit hard,” Sablan said, “We were trying to do our best with what we had.”
Tan Holdings president Jerry Tan led executives and other members of Tan Holdings in visiting residents severely affected by Soudelor.
Items in the relief kits included basic necessities such as canned goods, tissue, soap, detergent, and water, sourced from various companies of Tan Holdings such as Cosmos, D&Q, 880, POI Aviation, Century Tours, and Let’s Go Tours.
Let’s Go Tour’s Razrs were used to deliver relief kits to houses in roads that were too narrow for ordinary vehicles to pass.
Donated futons
Before the winds and rains brought by Tropical Storm Goni picked up last weekend, Tan Holdings was also able to bring futons to the Kagman Community Center and the Aging Center in Chinatown, both identified as long-term shelters.
Twenty-five futons were given to Kagman while 45 were donated to the families seeking shelter in the Aging Center.
Tan Holdings also gave out futons and relief kits to at least a hundred employees that were displaced by Typhoon Soudelor.
The company is looking at expanding the project to also bring relief kits to other villages as it continues to acquire items from off-island and bring them here on Saipan, which is quite a challenge.
Two airlifts already brought in supplies such as LED lanterns, lamps, futons, and 32-gallon water containers.
“We’re just waiting for some more supplies to be shipped in,” Sablan said.
Aside from handing out relief goods, Tan Holdings has also been busy cleaning up around the island.
Cleanup drives were organized in places such as Garapan, where many tourists pass by, and outdoor areas such as Oleai Sports Complex Track and Field/Football Field, and the San Antonio Middle School Football Field.
This article was originally authored by Frauleine S. Villanueva of the Saipan Tribune and published on August 25th, 2015. All rights, recognition and acknowledgment are belong to the author and the Saipan Tribune.