PROJECT PABLO
Denise Faith Garcia
To say that Typhoon Pablo unnerved Mindanao is an understatement. Last December 2012, the strongest tropical cyclone to ever hit the southern part of the country stripped the most affected provinces of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental of almost everything. Pablo, which resulted to a death PROJECT PABLO Denise Faith Garcia toll of 1,067 people and a loss of P42.2 billion, now claims the number one spot as the costliest Philippine typhoon.
Mindanao is a total neophyte in handling typhoons since it is very rarely intruded by such intense storms. Therefore, the damage brought upon by Pablo was also extremely severe. Hundreds of thousands ceased to have access to basic needs like food and shelter, and the farms that were their sole means of living were pummeled by the winds moving at more than 100 kilometers per hour.
“Nakadungog mi nga naay paabutay nga bagyo, pero wala mi kabalo unsa ang i-expect. Abi ra namu muagi ra ang kusog nga ulan pero mas grabe pa diay.” (We have heard about the coming of the typhoon but we do not know what to expect. We thought that heavy rains will just pass by but it’s worse than what we’ve expected.)
“Nangaguba among mga balay. Karun nakipuyo nalang mi sa among kapitbahay. Ang mga tanum pud nga saging naguba na. Dili na namu ma-harvest kay guba na tanan.” (Our houses are destroyed and we are now just staying with our neighbors temporarily. We cannot harvest the bananas, too, for they are all destroyed.)
These statements are often heard from residents of the areas affected by Pablo. These are the people who are trying to stand up again yet discouraged by the view of the destroyed agriculture that represents their future.
In response to the immediate relief and recovery needs of the areas hardest hit by the storm, Davao Evangelical Church in partnership with CCOWE Care Caravan, sourced for goods like assorted canned goods, rice, instant noodles, biscuits, milk, and bottled water. In the days leading up to the distribution, the hands that helped were not only from those of the young professionals but were also from the entire church. Almost everyday, children, teenagers, adults, and even the elderly pitched in to hasten the packing process.
During the distribution, it was very heartwarming to see so many volunteers who willingly aided the victims not only through handing out relief goods but also through a variety of services like providing medical care, counseling and most importantly, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. From December 9, 2012 to January 27, 2013, the missions team went and gave assistance to the victims in Compostela Valley, Agusan Del Sur, Boston and Mongkayo. They also lent helping hands to the city’s flood victims who were evacuated at Maa Elementary School and Davao Bible Community Church. In total, they served 6,673 families in 14 barangays and two evacuation centers. Below is a
summary of all the areas the team served:
December 9 – Compostela Valley
St. James Hospital
Brgy. Bangongan, Brgy. Mapaca, Brgy. Tandawan, Brgy. Macopa
December 16 – Agusan Del Sur
Brgy. Sayon, Brgy. Concepcion, Brgy. Awaw, Brgy. Tandawan,
Brgy. Sta. Josefa
December 30 – East Coast, Boston
Brgy. Carmen, Brgy. Cabasagan
January 20 – Mongkayo, Maa Elementary School (evacuation center)
Brgy. Naboc
January 27 – Davao Bible Community Church (Davao flood victims)
The tropical cyclone truly brought in so much damage and devastated countless hearts. Yet it is also safe to say that Pablo gave the nation and even the world a precious opportunity to unite. More so, it allowed Christians to be extremely salty and bright as countless responded to the victims’ desperate cries for help and allowed the victims to remember God’s grace to them by giving them another chance to live.
“ N a g p a s a l a m a t n a l a n g m i n g a
gitagaan pa mi ug opportunidad sa Ginoo nga mabuhi pa.
Ang uban namu nga kauban dili na namu makita. Diri namu
makita nga dapat gyud diay mi magpasalamat sa among
kinabuhi.” (We are just thankful that God has given us
another opportunity to live. We cannot find some of our
relatives and friends anymore and that made us realize that
we need to be thankful for this life.)
Indeed, God always has a purpose for everything. To Him be the glory!
