Roble receives book donations from the U.S.

HILONGOS, LEYTE , Philippines  — Mayor Jose Emery Roble on Tuesday received his town’s share of donated books for daycare, elementary and high school students.

The assorted reference materials, worth about P1.2 million, were donated by the Children International based in Missouri, USA, the Worldwide Anti Crime and Child Abuse Foundation Inc. (WACCAA) and the Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

The books, numbering about 27,000, arrived in Baybay City on a 40-foot container van for distribution to local government units of Ormoc City, and the towns of Mahaplag and Hilongos in Leyte, among others. Officials of Ormoc and Mahaplag got their respective shares the day earlier.

During the turn-over ceremony at the Visayas State University in Baybay City last Tuesday, Marilyn Digman Esden, chief executive officer and president of WACCAA, said she was positive that the donated books can help more Filipino children avoid being abused through knowledge.

When asked by The Freeman about the objective of her organization, Esden said: “WACCAA Foundation wants to help our nation protect women, youth and children against crime and child abuse.”

She also disclosed that her view in life changed after she survived a fatal car accident. “When my vehicle turned three times and flung into a ravine and I survived, it was there and then that I dedicated my second life to service of the most vulnerable people of God.”

Roble, after receiving the books, thanked the donors, saying these were “wonderful gifts for children this Christmas.”

The mayor was so eager to have the books hauled to Hilongos that day that he missed his scheduled flight to Manila. “It’s a good thing to see these books transported (to his town),” he said.

Roble further lauded the leadership of Nelson Talatayod, deputy Grand Epsilonian, who contributed his time and effort in segregating the thousands of books and had these ready for distribution to the different LGUs in Leyte.

In connection with WACCAA’s aim to help abused children, Roble said Hilongos also had its share of these  incidents. ”We just apprehended a warranted man who shot and killed with a shotgun, children aged four and six. We too have in our midst a convicted government official who continued to serve because of the Aguinaldo Doctrine despite having put a juvenile in trauma.”  (FREEMAN)