Tabogon Residents Gets Relief Aid From Customs

Tabogon, Cebu — Super typhoon Yolanda victims here have nothing but all praises for the Bureau of Customs particularly the Port of Cebu collection district.

“Gikalipay gyud namo nga dunay hinabang, pasalamat gyud mi ngadto sa taga customs, salamat gyud, (We are happy of the help, we are thankful to those in customs, we really thanked them), Carlos Aroa, 73 of barangay Poblacion told MetroCebu News.

A widower with six children who live near his fallen hut after Yolanda whipped this town of 25 barangays closed to a year ago, Aroa were among the recipients of the “Sharing is Caring” outreach program of district Collector, General (ret.) Roberto Almadin.

Aroa has been pre-selected along with several others through the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s) administered by the DSWD, in cooperation with Tabogon Mayor Zigfred Duterte.

An alumni group, University of San Carlos girl’s high school batch 1978, also helped in identifying other beneficiaries where it chose Salag National High School since the roofings of its classrooms were all blown by the strong winds brought about by the super typhoon that happened last November 8, 2013 resulting to the deaths of thousands, the heaviest toll in Eastern Visayas, particularly Tacloban City and its nearby towns.

Queenita Santua, the school principal was in near tears when asked to respond in behalf of the school during the turn-over ceremony held in the municipal gymnasium last Saturday.

Tabogon Mayor Zigfred Duterte (in green t-shirt) pose along with the Port of Cebu customs officials led by Gen. (ret.) Roberto Almadin (left of Duterte) after the turn over of relief aid to Super typhoon Yolanda victims of the town. (Photo by Tonton Antogop)

“I was not expecting nga naa pa gyud diay malumong kasing-kasing nga nahabilin nga muhatag, way kasudlan sa akong kalipay (that there are still other kind hearted that would give, my happiness is immesurable), when i heard that the Bureau of Customs through Mayor Duterte with the batch 1978 of San Carlos girls high, wa ko kasabot sa akong gibati nga naa gyud diay gibilin ang Ginoo para namo (i could not understand what i feel, that God still have left some for us),” part of the emotionally loaded speech of Ando went.

Mayor Duterte for his part expressed his gratitude to the leadership of Almadin, who, according to the town official has already distributed relief goods to their municipality thrice.

“Being the municipal Mayor ug amahan dinhi sa Tabogon magpasalamat kog dako (and father here in Tabogon, i say big thanks)
Sir, General, thank you very much for everything sa imong tabang dinhi sa among lungsod (for your help here in our town),” Mayor Duterte said.

After Duterte’s turn, Coll. Almadin shared his belief in reciprocity, with the hope that the outreach program may touch lives, at least in giving relief to the recipients

” I (still) believe that graces are not just with those who received but those who gave….hopefully— what we brought today , in a way would bring some relief, sa atung panimalay, makatulog ta ug maayo (in our house so we could sleep well),” the distric collector said in his brief speech.

He also reminded the typhoon victims not to despair as there is always hope and that there is a reason in everything that happens in a man’s life.

Almadin’s program has been on going days after Yolanda occurred. The men and women of the port has been giving aid mostly comprising of G.I. sheets, nails and other house construction materials in the severely affected towns in Cebu, particularly the northern area of the province.

The program has gain wide acceptance especially so that the aid from the national government even to this date has been coming on a piece meal basis drawing complaints of slow rehabilitation from elective officials.

Among those who joined Almadin in the outreach program were acting Dep. Coll. for administration Wivina Pumatong, assessment chief Conrado Abarintos, CIIS chief Diego Santiago, EPU chief Jessica Delgado, Mactan OIC for Passenger Services Jay Oyao and Chief of Staff, Atty. Kenneth Kernn Sesante.