Efforts to contact the residents in the area by relatives became futile as the whole village was wiped out last February 17. Almost all structures in St. Bernard had been moved by more than 500 meters from their original site by the impact of the mudslide. Emotional breakdowns were high as frantic text messages from those trapped below including a school building with the pupils inside were received by survivors and evacuees. It was another horrifying ordeal for the people of Leyte, who also suffered the flashfloods that claimed thousands of lives in only less than two decades ago. Communication was needed to calm and assure the survivors and relatives that help is coming from all over the country and even from other Asian countries and the United States.
In response to the immediate need to connect lives from Southern Leyte to their relatives and friends in other places, Globe Telecom, Innove Communications and Globelines did not waste any second to set up a free call center in the search and rescue operation centers in the affected areas. The Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Group (CRAG) led by Atty. Rodolfo A. Salalima has immediately sent a team to Southern Leyte to set up the phone booths. As early as 10 a.m. the next day (Feb. 18), the Globe Telecom Task Force Libreng Tawag was already in full operation and made available for landline and mobile calls. "When we arrived in the area, it was so sad and gloomy. We could not even afford to smile as people are still in shock," Breme Yu, Globe Telecom Bizwork Territorial Manager in Southern Leyte, Leyte and Biliran said. She narrated that they did not mind the danger they had to pass through as another mudslide threatens to affect other areas leading to St. Bernard. Because of the continuous rain, immediate help is imperative as more lives were claimed by the mudslide.
"There was no time to think of our own safety as we responded to the call for help because we know there are so many people, who needs to contact their families and relatives," she said.
A one-year -old child was reunited with his family after volunteers made some calls to the Anahawan District Hospital.
Yu said their ultimate goal was to connect the lives of the survivors and evacuees to their loveones. Even the media were allowed to use the phone booths to deliver the recent news to the public. It was one way to gather more donations for Southern Leyte as the needs for food, clothes and blankets increased.
Bottled water, sardines, biscuits, and noodles were also shipped to the area for the survivors and evacuees of the Southern Leyte landslide. Southern Leyte Gov. Rosette Lerias informed Globe Telecom's Ramon Escaño about the needs for tent, body bags, sardines, bottled water, noodles and other canned goods. Escaño said they immediately requested their employees and other generous individuals and groups to gather the requested items.
Globe Telecom External Affairs Head Jerry Yntig said they coordinated with the Cebu City Government and Jaycees to gather the donations for shipment to Southern Leyte.
Innove Communications have also generated cash from their employees and other individuals to buy the same goods requested by Governor Lerias.
Yu added that nothing could surpass the feeling of fulfillment for having helped others despite the difficulties and dangers they endured.
"The whole experience of helping was so unforgettable as it feeds our soul. Even the hugs and never-ending thank you's of the survivors and evacuees were so heart-warming," she said. She added that with tragedies like the mudslide, Filipinos and foreigners were one again united to help those in need.
To enable generous individuals to donate through text, Globe and Touch Mobile launched the HELPLEYTE text drive last month and raised money for the landslide stricken Southern Leyte.