Holy Family Province

ST. THERESITA’S ACADEMY

      Siervas de San Jose

      Silay City

STA Action re- Typhoon Yolanda victims

Three days after the destructive Typhoon Yolanda hit the Visayan parts of the Phils., some members of the SSJ community – Gloria Evangelista, Luz Siana, Dahlia Alcala and Naty Maravilla went to Cadiz to survey which part of the city needed assistance. Residents in the coastal area were the most affected. We wanted to give the assistance directly to the recipients without  involving any politician (mayor, or barangay officials). We were advised however, by a member of the BCBP, Silay to coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Cadiz, after their experience of being mobbed and some people going violent because of hunger. We went to Purok Paraiso, Brgy. Daga where a former maintenance personnel of  STA, Joemarie Llanera and family lived. We interviewed his wife as he was out seeking for shells to sell the next day. One hundred seventy three lived like a community there. Some houses’  roofings were blown. Residents appealed for something to eat. For them, food was what was most important and urgent.

Before November 15, 2013, a call was made at the morning assembly for donations to typhoon victims. Inasmuch as foreign and local aid to Tacloban was overwhelming, the STA community agreed to assist our suffering sisters and brothers in Cadiz City, in the northern part of Negros Occidental, which was among the hardest hit.

On November 15, we had the Eucharistic celebration presided by Fr. Roy Christian Gesulgon from the Parish of San Diego, Silay. It was so touching to see the longest offertory procession ever in STA. Everybody, from the pre-school to high school, faculty & staff, parents had something to share in cash or in kind. 

Immediately after the Mass, we requested an alumnus, Roy Catugas,( son of the school’s official photographer ), who works in Tacloban as a med-rep and a SURVIVOR to share his experiences at the height of Yolanda’s wrath.  In a very still atmosphere, everybody listened attentively. He shared that he and his group, because of too much hunger, entered a very dark open warehouse and looted anything that he thought would be edible only to discover upon reaching home that what he got were condoms, syringe. He was able to escape from Tacloban by telling a white lie, to the airport guards that he is the son of a retired Air Force official and so, he was allowed to board and in fact, the last passenger taken in.         

All the offered goods were deposited in a vacant classroom where students & teachers started to sort out the goods. More and more donations came with alumni from different batches bringing their donations in. 

With the excessive and overwhelming  donation of goods, we moved everything to the wide and spacious St. Bonifacia Hall. Staying parents and guardians were invited to assist in weighing the rice from the sacks to ensure that the right kilos would be received. Teachers who had free time from class would just come in to help in the packing of goods; students in their free time, also came. It took all the volunteers 5 days to finish everything before our target date, November 23 to deliver the goods. When we were done, however, DSWD Cadiz called to ask if we still had excess goods. They requested if we could also share with 86 residents of Purok Baybay, Brgy Daga, which we happily accommodated.

We sat down to think how to transport the goods to Cadiz (259 packs). God is truly good! Unexpectedly Nenia Coronel, Parents’ Council President came to offer her dump truck which stayed overnight at the St. Joseph Court, STA. We transacted with a parent alumnus to hire his vans for the volunteers but he told us to simply take care of paying one driver. Thankfully, though his sister wanted to come and some of us were accommodated in his van with him on the wheels. The vans were offered rent-free; some of us rode in the other van. There were 35 of us volunteers altogether. Nenia also facilitated the ride for the others in her car;  the male teachers drove on their motorbikes, and all the rest with the goods in the dumptruck. HOW GOD FACILITATED EVERYTHING!

On the eve of November 23, at 9:30 p.m. goods were loaded in the dump truck  again with volunteers.

First Phase –Sharing of Relief Goods  

Finally, on November 23, all were set to go. We departed at 7:30 a.m. from STA. We dropped by DSWD Cadiz to get a social worker assigned to accompany us. The venue assigned to us for distribution of goods is the Day Care Center, Purok Baybay. People were there ahead of us, with a signboard saying, “Salamat gid, SSJ and STA.”  Goods were unloaded in a systematic and orderly manner from the truck. Everything went well, people were organized and disciplined. We really felt and saw the joy of each one among the recipients .They were so appreciative and  grateful for goods they got –( 5 kilos of rice, 10 cans of sardines, 15 packs of noodles, biscuits, candies, six packs of energen, milo, coffee, juices, coffeemate, bath and laundry soap, toothbrush, bottled water, blanket, mosquito net, mat, , clothes), saying that SSJ and STA sharing was great. They did not expect that much.  We thanked one another, they, for visiting them, making them our target and for the goods, and we, on our part, for the opportunity to have met them and shared with them. We departed from Cadiz at 10:30 a.m. and arrived STA close to lunchtime.

When all was done in Cadiz with 259 families assisted in the 2 Puroks, Brgy Daga, we went to Bgy. Punta Sta. Mesa in Victorias, also at the shoreline. In coordination with Lourdes Beronio, the Barangay Captain who is the niece of Sr. Gloria Gustilo, we again brought 2 sacks of rice, and boxes of sardines, noodles, biscuits, as well as, sacks of clothing. According to the Brgy. Captain, many local and international groups are helping them. We left all the goods in Lourdes’ house who assured us that her team will be responsible for distributing them. 

Second Phase – Rehabilitation

Collaborators in the school, Talleres de Nazaret and in the community were interviewed one on one about their situation brought about by the wrath of “Yolanda” .  Five (5) school employees whose roofings and walls for some were blown and one (1) from Talleres whose roofing and walls needed replacements. In Purok Paraiso, Brgy. Daga in Cadiz City eight (8) families availed of financial assistance depending on their need and situation after making a comeback to the place and assessing extent of damages with the people.

Third Phase – Livelihood  

When asked about their day-day living, at least 6 families expressed their need of a sahid, - material for fishing, a net which they could use to fish, for a start, though one said that it would even facilitate if they had a banca. The residents likewise showed us the collapsed bamboo bridge they and their student-children use, to cross to school or to the town proper. They related that when it rains, they all have to cross the waist-line flooded way to reach their respective destinations.

The community leader was asked to make an estimate and materials were bought.

Assisted collaborators from Silay

I.             RELIEF GOODS   came from SSJ-Silay, parents, students, employees/ collaborators, alumni                                               

II.            REHABILITATION

            

          a. STA Collaborators

              1.  Dormelita Palasol                                                    4.  Rey Millan

              2.  Jaime Bernaldez                                                       5. Edralin Aguirre

              3.   Lydia Layson

     
    b. TdN – Silay

        6. Remia Santillan

    c. Purok Paraiso, Brgy. Daga, Cadiz

       7. Joe Marie Llanera                                                 11. Mariel Pedrano

       8. Mercedita Ostea                                                    12.  Daisy Asuncion

       9. Rhoda Calma                                                         13. Nenet Vergara

     10. Janice Pedrano                                                     14. Arden Morosketa

  

15.  Rehabilitation of  collapsed bamboo bridge used by residents & children when they go to school or to the city proper          

Note : Materials used for rehabilitation of damaged houses and collapsed  bridge:

nipa                      Assorted nails               GI Plain SHEETS          15 bags crackstone          

plywood               2x2x10 lumber               4 bags cement               25 bags mixing sand

h, blocks              1x2x10 lumber               2x3x8 lumber                  2x3x10 lumber      

pulon-binders      2x2x6 lumber                 GI CORRUGATED        assorted bamboo

door lock

III.           LIVELIHOOD – sahid (fishing net)

1.    Joemarie Llanera

2.    Mariz Canoy

3.    Leo Pateño

4.    Janice Pedrano

5.    Morena Sercado

6.    Nezel Alpeche

Materials for rehabilitation of houses and bridge. . . . . . . .  P 39,528.00

Livelihood materials – sahid . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ..        24,000.00

Fishing boat for livelihood of the community                             80,000.00

Gasoline and fares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .           1,100.00

Snacks for volunteers in work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          2,755.00

                                                              TOTAL EXPENSES. . . . .. .  P 147,383.00

                                                                                                                   vvvvvvvvvvv

           

On January 30, 2014, Srs. Annie, Dahlia, Recie, Luz, Naty, the sister & niece of Annie went to Purok Paraiso, Brgy. Daga, Cadiz to check on the people’s situation after availing of materials to rehabilitate their partially damaged homes, as well as, the collapsed bamboo bridge; the latter is not completely done as people work on it only on Sundays, being their free time. They work the bayanihan way.  Recipients were very happy that they now feel  secure in their dwelling and that the bridge, though not completely done yet is already passable.

On our way to the purok, we met and took a picture of a 9-year old boy with a basin of catch – fish, shrimps and crabs,which he was vending around.

Moreover, we went to the families who availed of the sahid. They showed us how they use it and related to us that materials were bought and had them made in Brgy. Daga. One cannot fathom the joy of these people who now have a means of livelihood, the same with those we visited who showed us their catch early in the morning. One thing positive with the purok residents is that they help one another and share with each other whatever there is. They were so overwhelmed with their catch that also out of gratitude, they shared their catch with us which we brought home to the community. We plan to go another  time, leave STA at 4:00 in the morning so that we can have a real view and experience of the people fishing in the sea with the use of their sahid. 

From the Php intended for assistance to Yolanda victims and survivors, please see the following :

                

Php 150,000.00

                                                   -    147,383.00

         Cash on hand - - - -       Php     2,617.00 

                                                          vvvvvvvvv

The remaining amount will be endorsed to Joemarie & Jenifer Llanera who have expressed that their fishing job will be facilitated even the more if there was a fishing boat. The last time we went to their place, we asked for a possible estimate and we were told that a banca would cost Php 80,000.00 called mano-mano complete with motor and could take 8 people; Php 40,000.00 – one banca that could accommodate 2 people only. The Llanera couple, our contact persons proposed for the mano-mano type because people in the purok go to other places to look for those with whom they can hitch to the sea. Whereas, even if there is only one mano-mano for the purok, more people can be helped. How they will do it then – the Llanera couple will make the budget before the fishermen leave the place to fish. When they get back to the shore, expenses will be deducted and a certain amount will be set aside for the maintainance of the sahid;  whatever  amount is left will be divided among those who joined the group to fish.

P    H    O    T    O    S

NATIVIDAD A. MARAVILLA, SSJ  for Community- Taller, Silay City