Super typhoon “Pablo” wreaked havoc in the Philippines last Dec. 4, bringing much devastation to Mindanao, particulary the towns of Nabunturan, New Bataan, Montevista and Monkayo of Compostela Valley, and the towns of Baganga, Cateel, and Boston in Davao Oriental.
Dumaguete City, which was also in the direct path of the storm managed to survive with minimal damage to lives and infrastructure. Maybe we have learned our lesson from typhoon “Sendong” which visited us same time last year.
Mindanao, however, did not fare very well. Affecting 6 million people, damages amounting to P24 billion, and killing almost 1,050 people, with 850 persons still missing, the numbers are just staggering.
After seeing to it that my family is okay, and that there is not much of a big need for relief in my community, I asked Operation Blessing Philippines, the humanitarian arm of The Christian Broadcasting Network (producers of The 700 Club in Asia) to deploy me to Davao, where I saw that much help was badly needed.
I set up my base camp at San Antonio in Caraga, Davao Oriental. I immediately did an ocular of the area to capture images of the damages. I took a two-hour motorcycle ride to see the towns of Baganga, Cateel, and Boston.
I was speechless and tears just flowed as I was trying to comprehend how devastated the place was. It seemed like a tsunami and an earthquake ravaged the area. Images of flattened homes, felled coconut trees, uprooted hardwood trees, and would-be evacuation areas such as churches, municipal and barangay halls, and schools that were completely destroyed and leveled told me that the residents had nowhere to run and hide from Pablo.
My chest tightened, and I was filled with despair, thinking how Christmas would be like for these people, and how they would be able to start to pick up the pieces of their lives — which have literally been shattered.
I was glad to be part of Operation Blessing’s work there. OB is just one of the many humanitarian orgs working in the area. They are engaged in medical missions, disaster relief and rehab operations. They move from different barangays and sitios, providing post traumatic stress de briefing and counseling, as well medical treatments for wounds and illnesses brought about by the storm, as well as livelihood assistance for handpicked individuals to help them start over.
But the work at hand is massive. It will take years for these places to fully get back on their feet. They are in need of our support and our prayers and our encouragement.
My heart goes out to our dear brothers and sisters of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley in Mindanao. I am praying that more help would arrive, and the rebuilding begin.
If you wish to help, please visit Operation Blessing Philippines to what work is being done, and how you can pitch in. Visit www.obphil.com
Greg Morales
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