Bayanihan alive at GK Brookside

MANILA, Philippines – The bayanihan spirit is alive and at work at GK Brookside in Quezon City in the wake of flash floods that hit the village last May 12.

On Monday afternoon, residents of GK Brookside and surrounding barangays found themselves immersed in water after heavy rains triggered flash floods brought about by the sudden collapse of the riprap protecting them from the gushing water from a creek and nearby dam.

The Philippine Army stationed nearby immediately came to the rescue and joined the residents and volunteers from the University of the Philippines who went on rooftops to form a human chain to bring trapped residents to safety.

The floods receded a few hours later, leaving the GK community with filth, debris and soaked furniture. The walls of seven GK homes were knocked down by the gushing water and need to be restored.

Having heard about what happened to their neighbors at GK Brookside on the evening news, the kapitbahayan of GK Bagong Silang quickly came to help their fellow GK residents.

“Yun ang napakaganda sa magkakapitbahay. Maski malayo siya pag narinig niyang kailangan ng tulong ng kapatid niya o kapitbahay niya kailangan nandoon siya (It’s beautiful among neighbors. Even if they are far, if you hear that your brother or neighbor needs your help, you have to be there),” said Julius Caubat, kapitbahayan president of CM & son GK village who came to the rescue with other residents from GK Bagong Silang.

“Dapat nandyan ka dahil tayo ang magiging kalakasan nila at sila rin ang magiging kalakasan natin dahil nagtutulungan. Kailangan ng pagmamahal. Kung sila ay nalulungkot, kailangan pasiglahin at pasayahin (You have to be there because we are their strength and they will also be our strength because we help each other. We need love. If they are sad, we need to encourage them, to make them happy),” Caubat said.

“Kahit kapos tumutulong sa kapwa kapos. Yun ang natutunan namin na hindi lang nagtatapos sa mabigyan ka kundi kailangan tumulong ka katulad ng ginawa ng Panginoon (Even if we are poor, we help our fellow poor. This is what we have learned, that it doesn’t stop when you receive but you need to help the way the Lord helped you),” he added.

Despite meager resources, the residents of GK Bagong Silang and their barangay captain took some money out of their pockets to provide food and clothes to their GK neighbors. The next day, they took a leave from work and returned to GK Brookside early in the morning to continue helping clean up.

The kapitbahayan of GK Brookside were very grateful to those who came to help.

“Malaking pasalamat namin sa dami ng sumuporta sa Brookside di lang sa GK kundi mga katabi namin, natulungan din (We are very grateful to the many who supported Brookside, not only GK but other communities beside us were also helped),” said Ricardo Elinon.

GK beneficiaries from Sitio Ruby and Payatas also came to assist their fellow beneficiaries while volunteers from Ateneo de Manila University organized themselves from a single text message and trooped to GK Brookside.

Partners from Unilab, Meralco, Rotary and ABS-CBN also came bringing clean water and food. The caretaker team of Couples for Christ was the first one to respond in the aftermath of the flash flood, providing relief while setting up an evacuation center for the families affected.

“Marami pong salamat sa mga tumutulong sa paglilinis tsaka sa maraming nagbibigay ng mga pagkain (Many thanks to those who are helping clean up and who are providing us food),” said Elgie Lustado. 

“You can really say that there is solidarity now coming from the different GK communities,” said GK executive director Luis Oquinena.

“This flash flood is an opportunity to unite to flood the beneficiaries with love and hopefully this can also inspire our people to really take GK seriously, that bayanihan is the way to uplift this country,” Oquinena added.

Regional coordinator Dr. Eric Cayabyab also said that the surrounding communities are being helped.

“They are our priority in bringing back light (electricity). They are the first ones we gave light to so that the things outside their homes will not be lost,” he said.

He said the organized kapitbahayan in Brookside made it easier for residents to survive the tragedy since they took care of each other and helped one another.

Out of the 275 GK homes, only seven walls need to be restored.

“Sacrifice is really needed for our residents to feel that there is really hope when we all come together,” he said.

“Let’s continue the bayanihan spirit. The opportunity is rare where you can easily show your love for your neighbor because you can readily see the need,” he said.

Continuous relief efforts are still being done at GK Brookside, culminating in a build activity for the houses that need to be restored.

GK Brookside and its surrounding communities are in need of more food and water, blankets, dry clothes and medicine for fever, diarrhea, and colds. More volunteers are also needed for the cleanup.