Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao handed out Bibles, tinned food and cash on Sunday to lift people’s spirits in areas devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan.
The former eight-title world champion toured the central island of Samar with his own aid caravan after spending the night on Saturday in a tent city in the town of Guiuan, the first town to be struck by the typhoon, an AFP reporter with the convoy saw.
Pacquiao attended a prayer meeting in Guiuan early on Sunday with survivors, and later handed out Bibles and food packages containing rice, noodles and tinned meat.
“Let us find hope in God’s Grace to help us get back on our feet and recover from the devastation,” he said.
In two instances during the drive around the devastated areas of Samar, Pacquiao had the convoy stop at coastal communities where homes had been torn to pieces by the typhoon’s winds of up to 315 kph and tsunami-like storm surges.
He handed out 1,000-peso (HK$177) bills each time to families who are now living in makeshift shelters.