OPERATION TABANG: Our humble way of helping flood victims

Last week’s flash flood at Barangay Darong, Sta. Cruz had beckoned our group to work in unison to provide whatever helps to all the victims. As a common maxim to quote, “because we care, we share” is indeed heartening as our members afforded hands as a manifestation of unconditional service and sympathy. For the record, the January 17 tragedy tolled 3 dead and several others homeless.

In the evening of January 17; Tolits, Pawiks, Kiba, Pagong and Domas – also originally members of local rescue group SAVERS – practically provided first hand rescue services along with the Philippine National Police and Philippine Army (39th IB). Meanwhile, Grace and Irish went to work on the inter-agency coordination at the command center and in the Local Government Office (MSWDO).

The group also took part in the relief and rehabilitation phase. Tolits, Pawiks, Chicay, Kiba, Grace and Irish were mainstays at the Almendras Elementary School which served as the evacuation center. They assisted in distributing relief goods and foods to the evacuees. Dra. Raygene then led in providing medical services to sick victims.

Meanwhile, Doray and Faridah spearheaded relief dispersal at sitio Lomlom by convening all aids from the Sangguniang Kabataan of Barangay Bato. Faridah by the way is also one of the casualties of the flood as their ancestral house was also ruined. Moreover, Trecelyn facilitated a collection of instant food items and used clothing for distribution to the evacuation center.

Over at Darong Elementary School, Dan and Jonas helped rehabilitate the school by unloading the accumulated silt in all classrooms in the form of “Bayanihan” on January 20-24. After the flood, classes in this institution are indefinitely suspended because several structures were damaged.

These efforts might be just pinch of what was really provided overall, but somehow it manifested the club’s desire to spread a culture of charity.