Press Release
July 2, 2008

GORDON VISITS RESCUED FISHERMEN IN CADIZ

Cadiz & Victoria City - July 2, 2008

Senator Richard J. Gordon, Chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, was in Cadiz and Victoria City today to visit fisherfolk and their families who were affected by Typhoon Frank.

In Cadiz City, twenty-two vessels sank while six ran aground. The vessels had a crew totaling four hundred and nineteen fishermen.

From the total fishing crew of these vessels, two hundred eighty-nine were rescued, forty-one were found dead while eighty-nine are still missing.

In Victoria City, ten are reportedly missing until now.

"Typhoon Frank claimed the lives of hundreds of Filipinos at sea. Our fishermen brothers here in Cadiz are among the few who have survived its fury," Gordon said.

"This calamity has greatly affected their lives. A lot of them have lost their means of livelihood. We must ensure that they are given the proper assistance and support to rise up from this tragedy."

Senator Gordon called on several boats weighing fifty tons and above which were in the area to aid in salvaging the sunken vessels.

Gordon stressed that the Government should provide fishermen with soft loans. He encouraged the government to negotiate with the ADB, the World Bank and other funding agencies to provide loans with easy terms to these fishermen.

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