ZAMBOANGA CITY – Representatives and local leaders of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) here said their political gathering scheduled for Tuesday has been reset and the party has instead directed its members nationwide to actively participate in the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the wake of massive devastation caused by Tropical Storm “Ondoy.”

The NPC said the event was supposed to be one of the last steps before the party leadership finally chooses who between Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Loren Legarda will be their standard bearer in the May 2010 presidential elections.

NPC officials pointed out that instead of going ahead with the meeting, the party has decided to donate the amount allotted for the activity to media organizations that are helping in the relief and rehabilitation efforts such as the Sagip Kapamilya of the ABS-CBN.

As of press time Tuesday, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) has already confirmed more than 100 people dead mostly caused by floods that hit major parts of Metro Manila and nearby areas.

The massive rains brought by the storm also dislocated hundreds of thousands of families who saw their cherished relatives, properties and dreams vanished along with the floods that took them away.

“The grief brought by Tropical Storm “Ondoy” to the thousands of victims is unquantifiable,” NPC officials said.