One can't do enough

One cannot turn a blind eye on to the crisis that has plagued our country because of mega typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. A few days ago, I brought relief goods to Brookside, one of the GK sites in Quezon City, and I was appalled at what I saw.

This community of 1,500 residents was one of my favorite GK villages in the past as it was so clean and orderly. It had a school, library, chapel, basketball court and houses that were kept neat and clean by the poor residents. Today, the village is still intact but Ondoy’s wrath is apparent all around. 

GK founder Tony Meloto and son-in-law Dylan Wilk, the daring Englishman who gave up his la dolce vita existence in London to be a philanthropist in our country, are asking for financial help so they can meet their target of restoring the devastated GK communities by Christmastime. 

When Tony saw my eyes welling with tears, he explained to me what happened: “Brookside was flooded all the way to the roof but had no casualty out of 1,500 residents because the homes were solid, the community was organized and alerted and they were trained to help one another. They helped the surrounding areas of Bagong Silangan that had 34 recovered bodies and 108 missing. It’s the worst-hit area but the GK site was quick to recover in helping and feeding in the relief distribution center. We had no casualty in all 400 GK villages and the poor residents helped in the repacking and distribution of food packs. Former victims are now saviors, receivers are now givers, beneficiaries are now benefactors. This is how GK changes lives: people empowerment through caring and sharing — kalinga and bayanihan — rich and poor helping each other, leaving no one behind, even in the deepest floods.”

In Brookside, eight dump trucks were in operation to clean up the garbage caused by Ondoy.

I saw that most of the schoolbooks and school furniture were among the garbage piled inside the dump trucks. Rabbi Mendoza, who is in charge of Brookside, is asking for textbooks and financial help from generous donors. Even if the houses were not damaged, the residents lost most of their belongings. For those who wish to donate, please call Rabbi Mendoza at 0906-4627232. Rabbi has dedicated the past five years of his life in this GK village, dealing with the concerns of the 1,500 residents living there. May his tribe increase. There are not enough of his kind for the marginalized sector of our country. People who are selfless and dedicated like Rabbi are truly our unsung heroes.

While I was in Brookside, I received a text from Tunting Cruz Matters, sister of Mayor Angel Cruz Jr. of Hagonoy, Bulacan. Her text was that of desperation: “Need relief goods for Hagonoy, Bulacan. All towns under water. My brother the Mayor need food and water for 6,000 families. Kakaiyak.”

As of Oct. 14, this is the state of affairs in Hagonoy as reported to me by the mayor’s staff: 

The water is still thigh-high or waist-high in the towns of San Sebastian, Caroline’s at Wawa 11, Mestiza, Kislap, San Juan, San Isidro, Tampok, Sta. Monica, San Jose, Mercado, Sta. Rosario, Sta.0 Cruz and San Pascual. Meralco purposely cut off electric power temporarily in these towns to protect people from electrocution due to flooding.

Rice fields in Pinalagdan are deep in water, and the current is strong in Ilog Uli Uli and Uli Uli Libangan Channel. It is not safe for the townspeople to cross San Miguel as the current is strong.

 The Hagonoy Oplan Tutok Baha Relief Operation would like to thank Romy Castro, Danilo Fajardo and Lt. Mijares of the Speicial Forces for the trucks that they sent to help transport relief goods; and Gina Lopez of ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya for the 3,500 food packages and 1,750 clothes packages that she has sent.

The Mayor is also asking for medicines for flu, athlete’s foot, diarrhea and other diseases caused by the floods. Please call Sabrina at 0922-8510891; Lizzie at 0928-5033396 or e-mail pb_hagunoy@yahoo.com.

The Healing Servants Foundation needs old or new calderos, plates, cups, balde, pillows, blankets, mosquito nets, banig, towels, or cash etc. to help flood victims get back to their homes and start all over. Interested donors, please call Fr. Gerard Deveza at 0917-5382033.

 Frannie Jacinto is asking for new or used stoves for the soup kitchen that her friends have put up to cook meals for thousands of victims daily.

In these worst of times, we thank God for all His blessings and for giving us the means to help those who need our help. I truly feel humbled by the many generous souls who are serving and giving of their time, their resources and their energies to help the marginalized sector of our country. I try to give of myself and my limited resources but when I see the suffering all around me, I still feel that I am not doing enough. I wish I could do more and more so here I am appealing to the generosity of your hearts to give of yourself and your resources to the people I listed here or your own organizations in need.