Alaminos City-Two more local chapters of global and non-government organizations have been very responsive to the appeal of Mayor Hernani A. Braganza for help by raising funds and implementing their own disaster-relief program for the benefit of the victims of typhoon Emong here.

The Kiwanis Club of Hundred Islands (KCHI) and the Rotary Club of Hundred Islands Rotary Club (RCHi) conducted separate distribution of food supplies and other important donations to three barangays that suffered the most damage from the deadly storm.

In the coastal barangay of Cayucay, KCHI headed by its charter president-Engr. Fausto Lopez handed relief goods and packs iodized salt to more than 200 homeless residents here last June 6.

The group also conducted supplemental feeding to the school children and likewise distributed hundreds of tooth paste, tooth brush and soaps.

Also on the same day, Kiwanis Club of Alaminos City led by Engr. Generoso Sison distributed bags of rice and grocery items at the Don Leopoldo Sison Auditorium to select families of barangays Pogo, Poblacion (sitio Dampay), Amandiego, Tangcarang, Polo and Baley-daan.

The said distribution of relief goods by both clubs was witnessed by Division I Lt. Gov. Minnie Caburnay and the officer and members of KC Golden West Bani who also spearheaded a relief operation in barangay Ranom Iloco in Bani town.

Caburnay, according to Lopez, helped him follow-up KCHI’s request for assistance for Alaminos from KC Royal Grant (Division 3-D), KC Sumbrero, KC Princess Urduja, KC Dagupeña, KC Aliguas Progressive, Kiwanian Naty Soriano KC Bangus Pandaragupan & KC Amputi Layag.

“These simple gifts to our citymates is our club’s commitment to the city government’s on going efforts to provide direct aid to the typhoon affected families,” said Lopez.

On the other hand, the RCHI headed by Atty. Henry Onia, the club president, has likewise able to raise cash donations amounting to more than P 62,000 for the ‘Emong’ victims.

Onia disclosed that the financial assistance amounting P 17,500 came from RC Paranaque Southwest. While, delegates of the Rotary Club’s District Assembly 2009 held in Makati City last month through the initiative of Smiling Visionary Gov. Sid Garcia collected another P17, 500.

Other donations came from RC Malacca, PP Goeffrey Little of Australia, RC Waling-waling of Davao City, PP Raul Siabal of RC San Pablo City South, Teresita Peralta Cai of Dela La Salle University.

The financial assistance is currently being used in the repair of a classroom in Landoc Elementary School and construction of toilets in other affected schools in the city.

“We are expecting more cash donations from our sister clubs and other chapters and we hope to receive the assistance very soon so that we could continue in extending our fair share in the Braganza administration’s rebuilding program for the typhoon affected communities in our city,” stressed Onia.

He revealed that part of RCHI’s plan is to help finance the repair or reconstruction of more school buildings in the city which were second or third on the priority lists of DepEd and the city government.

Aside from cash donation, Onia said that their club also received assistance from ShelterBox.

Eight (8) ShelterBoxes arrived in the city just recently and were subsequently delivered by RCHi to the intended beneficiaries in barangays Pangapisan, Mona, and Bued.  Shelterboxes were also distributed in Bani, Bolinao and Anda, according to Onia.

ShelterBox Response Personnel visited the city last month to assess the damage and to determine whether the beneficiaries are entitled to receive ShelterBoxes.

In a club meeting of the Hundred Islands Rotary, SRP Team Leader Peter Pearce and Lyndon Tumblyn explained how they were sent to the Philippines to help the victims of typhoon Emong.

Rotarian Tom Henderson of the Helston-Lizard Rotary Club in Cornwall, England conceived and introduced the ShelterBox in 2000. which was described as “a simple package of aid delivered to the most needy people in the shortest amount of time."

Designed to help an extended family survive for a minimum of six months, the lightweight, weatherproof box contains items such as a 10-person tent, blankets, basic tools, water-purification tablets, a compact stove, mosquito nets, and other items tailored to the particular region in crisis.

Our eight citymates are very fortunate to be among of the recipients of the ShelterBoxes which costs approximately 1,000 Australian dollars or roughly P34,000 each, said Onia.

ShelterBoxes are said to be not for sale. It is only distributed for free to the victims of natural disasters anywhere in the world.

The Shelter Box organization had responded to more than 70 disasters in 46 countries, aiding more than a half-million victims.

It was learned that Tom's ShelterBox was regarded as the best disaster relief tool the international relief agency Feed the Children have seen in their 20 years of experience.

For their utmost concern, effort and initiative of sharing their resources to their typhoon affected citymates, Mayor Braganza extended his heartfelt thanks to the KC- Hundred Islands and KC-Alaminos City and Rotary Club of Hundred Islands.

“These gifts are very timely, said the mayor. These will help our constituents rebuild their lives.”

Though Alaminos was spared a direct hit by Emong, the damage was still devastating and considered as the costliest typhoon to hit the city as evidenced by thousands of houses blown-away, government facilities, infrastructures and agricultural crops destroyed and worst it claimed three lives.

Alaminos though is starting to get back on its feet thanks largely to the overwhelming response and the outpouring of support and assistance to the city by generous entities and modern day Good Samaritans.

The city will always remember your good deeds and may the Almighty God reciprocate your selfless contributions.

This article also appears at the Alaminos City Website www.alaminoscity.gov.ph