From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Romeo Quijano</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:romyquij@yahoo.com">romyquij@yahoo.com</a>></span><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br><br><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr><td style="font:inherit" valign="top"><br><br>--<blockquote style="border-left:2px solid rgb(16,16,255);margin-left:5px;padding-left:5px"><br><div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="font:inherit" valign="top">
<br><blockquote style="border-left:2px solid rgb(16,16,255);margin-left:5px;padding-left:5px"><div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="font:inherit" valign="top">For your information and reflection: Neglected Victims of typhoon Pablo (Bopha)<br>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">After conducting a seminar related to
the livelihood project of farmers in Surigao del Sur, I joined the
team of the Community-Based Health Program for their
return visit to some areas devastated by the typhoon in
Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental. We left Tandag at 1:30 AM and we
reached the first village served by the CBHP at about 8:00 AM.
Although I have seen on television the images of destruction by the
typhoon, I was still jolted by extreme surprise and anguish upon
entering the actual scene of devastation of homes and crops. The
horrible images of Hiroshima, Vietnam, and Iraq, the aftermath of
American bombing, raced through my mind. At that moment, I felt
entirely the serious harm brought about by typhoon Pablo, not only on
homes, livelihood, environment and health, but also the severe
consequences of climate change, corporate greed (mining companies,
banana plantations, etc.) and government neglect. In my internal
fury, I no longer cared much about the discomfort and numbness I had
endured in more than three hours of riding on a motorcycle called
“habal-habal”. There were four of us on the bike and I was
sandwiched at the back of the driver and my co- passengers.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Many of the victims were far from the
town or village center and were not reached by relief operations by the government, media and mainstream
civic organizations. These hinterland areas are given priorityby the CBHP and its allied
organizations, including the farmers movement in the region. Our team
also visited one of the worst affected by
the typhoon in Davao Oriental, the town of Cateel, just adjacent to
the affected areas in Surigao del Sur. The devastation was really
bad, it was as if a nuclear bomb was dropped on the area! There was
complete destruction of almost all structures and vegetation,
especially the coconut trees. The town of Cateel is the one often
featured on television. Many government agencies and civic
organizations are already coming to the area, although the relief
operations are still not reaching the people sufficiently because of
the severe and extensive devastation and the lack of an efficient
system of relief operations coming from different groups.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">At about 5 PM, I left the team of
Tandag CBHP and rode a bus to Davao City to join, this time, the
medical mission of BALSA Mindanao, a multi-sectoral organization of
progressive groups to help the people when calamities strike, such as
this one. Along the way, I saw more homes destroyed with no apparent
help reaching them. I reached the compound of UCCP (United Church of
Christ), the center of BALSA Mindanao in Davao, past midnight
already. Our team left the compound early morning at four, so, again,
I had very little sleep that night. We arrived at Laak, Comval at
about 10 AM. The effects of the typhoon was also evidently very
severe and the area was difficult to reach since the village roads
were in very bad condition and we also had to cross a river almost
chest deep, which was possible only because we were riding a big dump
truck. We had a quick brunch before the medical consultations and the
distribution of relief goods started. There were only two of us who
were medical doctors. I was with Dr. Lynn Redoble, my former student
who has been serving full-time for the CBHP-Southern Mindanao for
more than 15 years. Most of the sick were children: cough and colds,
influenza, bronchitis, skin diseases, wounds, etc. There were two
patients who needed hospital work-up and this was a problem since
BALSA Mindanao could not afford to shoulder the expenses (assistance
from the local government and others will have to be sought). We had
more than 200 patients. Acceptance of patients had to be stopped at 5
in the afternoon since it may not be possible to cross the river
going back to Davao if we stayed late. I felt bad about this since
there were still some people who seemed to have just come from afar
and who were trying to be seen by a doctor; but the organizers said
we had to leave.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">We reached UCCP Davao at about
midnight. I was so tired and sleepy I went straight to bed without
taking a bath first. However, I could hardly sleep because my
coughing (which started in Surigao del Sur) worsened and because of
intense feelings and thoughts about what I have just seen and
experienced. The cocks were already crowing when I seem to have
fallen asleep, after taking my herbal medicines lagundi (Vitex
negundo) and sinta (Andrographis paniculata). I just rested the
following day until it was time for me to go the airport in Davao to
catch my flight back to Manila.</p><br><br><p style="margin-bottom:0in">For Donations:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">BALSA Mindanao</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">UCCP Haran House: Fr. Selga St., Madapo Hills, Davao City</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Contact Person: Susan S. Claro, R.N., Executive Director, Mindanao Christian
Services Foundation</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in"></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Account name: INPEACE Mindanao, Inc., Banco de Oro, SM City Davao Branch, Davao City, Account number: 860165361, Swift Code BNORPHMM</p><p style="margin-bottom:0in"></p><p style="margin-bottom:0in">
</p><p style="margin-bottom:0in">Bank Name: Metrobank </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Bank Address: Surigao City, SWIFTCode: MBTCPHMM, AccountNumber: 007‐105‐50875‐8, AccountName: BREAD Inc. </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Bank Name: Bank of the Philippine
Islands(BPI) </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Bank Address: Butuan City, SWIFTCode: BOPIPHMM, AccountNumber: 2221‐0003‐69, AccountName: CBHP‐Butuan,Inc.</p>
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