ST. BERNARD, SOUTHERN LEYTE April 11-13, 2006 Donation

 

(Click the pictures for a larger image)

 

February 2006, St. Bernard, Southern Leyte was stumbled by a massive landslide, particularly Brgy. Guinsaugon. This village is the center of that tragic incident next to Ormoc tragedy in early 90's. Brgy. Guinsaugon, a living community before, seems like a grave at present. Buildings like community centers, schools, and houses of more than 300 families were destroyed and buried by hard stones and heavy mud in just a moment. But the most heartbreaking reality was that many people died. This tragedy seems like a nightmare to survivors, and to those who suffered the pain of loosing their loved ones.

 

To help those survivors, last April 11-13 , CIWEST Foundation, Inc. extended its hand through the initiative of Foundation Chairman Takashi Miyamoto, and Vice-President Susan S. Miyamoto, in cooperation with Central Japan High Intelligence System (CJHIS-AO), and Sending Organizations STEP and MAVENTECH Foundation, Japanese Accepting Companies and our Filipino skilled-workers in Japan, in a donation-giving for more than 300 families survivors.

 

 

April 11 an hour away from Manila , CIWEST Foundation team arrived in Tacloban City , Leyte . Ma'am Susan headed the mission together with Mr. Vergilio Cello Jr., Ms. Mary Anne Santos, and Mr. Aldrin Castillo. They arrived at the airport around one in the afternoon. They rented hotel rooms in Tacloban City . Ma'am Susan and Sir Jon went out to buy additional goods to pack for our donation while Aldrin and Anne started dividing the medicines equally. That evening, 8 PM, we started to pack the goods. Each family were given each bag that consisted of 12 items: 5 Kilos of Rice, 1 Kilo of Mongo, 1 Kilo of Sugar, 5 cans of Sardines, 10 Instant Noodles, 1 Instant Coffee, Assorted Biscuits, 2 Powder Juice, 1 Soy sauce, 4 Milo Chocolate Powder, 2 Bear brand Milk Powder, and Medicines. We prepared 347 sacks of goods and should be completely done before 4:30 in the morning. We were very thankful that time that we rented in the hotel which allowed us to prepare the donations inside the rooms and to use their garage area. In addition, the hotel staffs volunteered to help us until the last sack has been set. Without their help, we won't be able to finish the preparation on time. We finished packing the things at 4:30 in the morning, just in time the jeepney and the van we hired arrived.

 

We leave Tacloban City at 6 AM and traveled almost 246 kms to St. Bernard for almost 6 hours. As we are entering the locality of St. Bernard, marks of tragedy in different parts of the town were still noticeable like crack on roads and destroyed roads due to landslide. Before we got there, we had a clear view of the "Disaster Sled" in the Mount Can-abag which Kuya Eddie, our driver, told us that the mountain has already crevices which make its soil tendency to collapse again. After a long travel we arrived at CRISTO REY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL , a center that serves as shelter for 302 families or 539 survivors from disaster. Those who supported us in the School are also volunteers and the ones who are organizing the support coming from different donors including us. Families in Cristo Rey are the ones from Guinsaugon. Most of them lost their loved ones and even from the time we entered the gate, you could feel the emptiness and sorrow within the area. The head volunteers requested us not to interview them because the people are already tired of endless interviews. As respect to their emotions, CIWEST staffs did not ask query to them regarding the incident, which would probably provoke them to remember their past painful experience. We explored the place and visited the families to each classroom; about 15 to 28 families are currently staying in one room. They were very thankful for the donation we gave to them. We were also assisted and supported by the father and siblings of Roderick Genito, a 29 th batch trainee.

 

One of the persons who guided us throughout the school is a daycare teacher who volunteered to help these people. Because all the rooms are being used by the families, Cristo Rey's students manage to hold their class in the tents inside the schools grounds.

 

After we have provided donation, we went to Brgy. Tambis, a village near the disaster area where we viewed the "Disaster Sled". There is a huge wood cross standing on the riverside in remembrance of those people died on the tragedy. It's a very tragic place and you could imagine what really happened in the village by just looking at the landslide area. Four (4) baranggays including one (1) elementary school has been dumped by mud. In behalf of CIWEST Foundation, Inc., Ma'am Susan lighted candles and offered a prayer. There, we got a chance to interview a man who had lost his three children and wife. We observed the place and it was found like a desert, which before was a happy and lively village.

 

We also went to Iglesia ni Cristo locale in St. Bernard because they also supported its constituents and provided them shelter inside their church. 128 families are currently residing within the compound; we gave them our remaining 42 bags of donation. Evacuees in the area are living in a barracks- type shelter besides the church building. The minister even told us it's very hard to cooperate with DSWD because not all the goods are being distributed to the intended beneficiary, at times there are no goods that are being distributed. Even the Mayor and the Governor of the province have barely shown their support or assistance to their people. We observed that they hardly trust their government officials.

This special activity had contributed much on the fulfillment of the goal of CIWEST Foundation, Inc. in terms of welfare. The donation is a big help to those survivors, not only materially, but in terms of psychological impact on them that; they are important and that; there are still individual or groups in this world that are open handed to offer necessary help.