Aid pours for Magsaysay quake victims

EVACUEES line up for food and other supplies in Magsaysay town.

The Davao City relief team delivering aid to quake-hit areas has reached out to distressed families in seven villages of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur on Wednesday.

Around 2,755 families — including indigenous people crammed in tents in the villages Kasuya, Bulucan, Balawinon, Bacungan, San Isidro, Lower Bala, and Upper Bala — received relief packs pooled by the city government, private company partners, Robinson’s Supermarket and Minute Burger.

The families were traumatized by the strong earthquakes and aftershocks which caused landslides and damaged properties in the town of Magsaysay.

The town of Magsaysay sustained heavy damages, including the municipal hall, and 7,400 homes. A total of 1,333 families are currently in the evacuation centers and tents near their homes. Classes had been suspended pending declaration that the school buildings are safe for use.

Magsaysay Mayor Arthur Davin said many of his people are still trying to recover from the traumatic experience. He said he and his people drew strength from other people who did not hesitate to help them.

“Ang nakahatag lang namo’g kusog, kanang mga tao nga nitabang namo. Kanang naa’y mutabang namo in terms of goods, in terms of cash assitance. Murag ba’g, mao ra to’y [kung asa] maka-draw mi’g strength nga wa’ diay mi nag-inusara (We draw strength from the people who have helped us because we feel we are not alone in this difficult time),” he said.

LOCAL government officials and uniformed personnel plan the distribution of the aid.

Relina Daya Limaa, a resident of Barangay Bacungan, Magsaysay, who also happened to be a B’laan native, expressed how hard they are trying to cope with the unfortunate event.

“Lisod kaayo, Ma’am, kay naay linog. Unya dili nami kauli sa among balay. Nahugno tanang simento, Ma’am. Adtong [October] 16 pa, nibalhin nami diha sa evacuation center sa eskwelahan kay di’ naman mi makatulog sa among balay kay naguba man (Our situation here is very difficult. We can no longer stay in our homes because these damaged. Since October 16, we have evacuated to the school because our house was destroyed),” she said.

Limaa added the family also needed cash to buy their other needs such as mats, mosquito nets, rice, and water containers.

Lucia Paran from Barangay Upper Bala, was emotional after sharing how she lost her home.

“Sa tinuod lang wala gyud ko ganahi aning maglain-lain ug puyo ba. Gusto nako sa among balay, unya kay akong balay kay naguba man. Dili naman gud pwede puy-an (To be honest, I am not comfortable evacuating from place to place. I just wanted to stay at home, however, our house was damaged and cannot be inhabited),” she said.

Paran was, however, thankful for their barangay officials who always responded to their needs. The people also needed medicines especially for children who have fever, cough, and colds.

Mercy Macanip also from Upper Bala said she is worried about where to get a source of income because the farm where she and her husband worked was also damaged by a landslide.

“Naguol nako sa akong bana kay di’ naman mi kakita’g kwarta. Ang among paningkamot para mabuhi, asa naman padulong mi? (I am worried where we can find a source of income. We didn’t know where to go),” she lamented.

This week the Davao City government continues to deliver aid as more families in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato temporarily displaced by recent quakes need more aid.

SOME of the families living in tents after their houses were destroyed.

On 7 November, affected families in Bansalan town will get their share of the relief items.

The city government has been aiding neighboring towns following the three strong earthquakes last month while it also tends to the needs of Davao City who also saw damages in some infrastructure.

Last Sunday, food packs were given to the affected families in Makilala.

As of Tuesday, 5 November, the volume of relief packs already reached 10, 780 containing two kilograms of rice, three canned goods, three noodles, water, and coffee.

Of the total number of relief packs, 4,000 will be given to Magsaysay, Davao del Sur.

Meantime, the city lauded volunteers, who flocked to the Task Force Davao headquarters daily to help in the repacking of goods for Davao del Sur and North Cotabato.

Task Force Davao commander Colonel Consolito Yecla thanked the people who volunteered to help affected families.

“We received overwhelming support from the people of Davao City. We have enough volunteers for the repacking of our goods,” he said.

Yecla said the volunteers have helped speed up the delivery of the goods to the affected areas.

“I already recommended to Mayor Sara (Duterte) that we will give two relief packs per family to distribute all the relief packs that the volunteers have packed,” Yecla said.