Considering our location within the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines is a country prone to natural hazards and existential risks of climate change. An average of 20 typhoons pass through our territory every year, the latest of which were typhoons Rolly, Siony, Tonyo and Ulysses that all visited the country in November. With the torrential rains brought about by these typhoons, many of the dams in the country, the Magat Dam specifically, were filled up to critical levels, forcing them to release significant volume of water to avoid further harm.
Consequently, various cities and municipalities in Cagayan Valley (particularly in Cagayan and Isabela) were submerged into water. Many families, especially those who are near bodies of water (i.e., the Cagayan River), were affected”•having their homes flooded and their livelihood (farms) devastated. What made the situation worse is that we are currently under a pandemic brought about by the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). By God’s grace, my parents residing in Isabela were spared from the flooding. (Thank you so much, Lord!)
Through various social media platforms, we were able to see how devastated these provinces are”•people are asking and shouting for help from their rooftops, children and animals were drowned from the floods, and many people are starving. With the help and initiative of my friends and fellow youth leaders (mostly former student council presidents from various state colleges and universities in the Philippines), we came up with Project “WE NEED HELP: Bayanihan sa Cagayan Valley,” to help families in Isabela and Cagayan that has been affected by the typhoon. We believe that our simple help will bring smiles to their faces and will somehow uplift their spirits. The said project has two objectives: (1) Gamit Mo, Kailangan Ko (for in-kind donations of food items and hygiene kits) and (2) Piso Para sa Cagayan Valley (for financial aids).
Truly, a lot of Filipinos are cheerful givers. We received various in-kind donations from different parts of the country coming from individuals and social groups, wherein we tapped the military and air force to deliver the same in Cagayan and Isabela. Moreover, we have accumulated cash donations of almost P75,000. Our youth leaders and volunteers in the province organized relief operations that reached almost 500 affected families.
Aside from our initiative, I also witnessed several donation drives conducted by my (high school college) batch mates and colleagues for the benefit of those affected not only in our region but also in other areas such as Marikina. This only shows that the spirit of civic unity and cooperation among Filipinos (also knows as ‘bayanihan’) is still alive.
Undeniably, 2020 has been very rough for almost all of us”•the pandemic and the natural calamities brought unprecedented turnarounds in our lives. Many lost their jobs, while some lost their loved ones. The financial, physical and mental burdens we experience sometimes tempt us to give up and walk away. Yet, here we are”•in the first month of 2021!
No matter how many times we fall, Filipinos are known to have a strong will to rise again. I do believe that such strength was a gift from the Father. He knows that these challenges will make us better individuals, better citizens, better children of God. Let me share with you one of my favorite songs entitled “Blessings” by Laura Story:
“We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
…
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
In the end, despite the challenges we face, let us remain to be faithful and strong-willed; let us remain to be true resilient Filipinos!
A blessed New Year to all!
The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. This article is part of his blog for the course on Leadership, Ethics, and CSR.
The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the position of De La Salle University, its faculty, and its administrators.
