‘Bayanihan’ alive in STAR’s relief mission

MANILA, Philippines - For Japanese Masahiro Terada, president of Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc., it was an inspiring sight: victims of devastation in Compostela Valley arm in arm in their effort to recover from one of the country’s deadliest typhoons.

Their faces brimming with hope and anticipation, residents of Barangay Ngan in Compostela town, Compostela Valley, one of the hardest-hit by killer typhoon ‘Pablo’, joined hands with The Philippine STAR’s Operation Damayan in transporting and distributing more than 1,000 sacks of rice as part of The STAR’s continuing assistance to calamity areas.

“Karga gani mi balas ug bato nga dili makaon kini pa kaha nga bugas na ni? (We carry sand and stone that could not be eaten, how much more these sacks of rice),” said barangay official Rafael Bogartan as he led a team of about 30 young men who helped in moving 1,180 sacks of 25-kilo rice from two container vans to dump trucks in the middle of a dirt road in Sitio Ambawan on the way to Upper Barangay Ngan last Sunday, Feb. 3.

Bogartan explained that they were more than happy to assist the team from Operation Damayan that got stuck in the mountains of Sitio Ambawan on the way to Upper Barangay Ngan, about 19 kilometers from the poblacion of Compostela town.

“Pasalamat mi sa inyo nga nakadawat mi niining bugas. Dako na kaayo ning tabang sa amoa (We are really thankful to receive this rice. This is really a big help for us),” said Ronalyn Denden, 18, as she received her sack of rice at the distribution site in Purok 20 Upper Barangay Ngan.

The distribution of the 1,180 sacks of rice in Upper Barangay Ngan was actually part of the second round of the Operation Damayan’s continuing effort to reach out to 3,500 more survivors of super storm Pablo that struck Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental last Dec. 4, 2012, claiming over 1,000 lives and causing widespread disaster.

Operation Damayan, the charitable arm of The Philippine STAR, conducted the first round of its relief operations last Dec. 20, 2012 in Barangay Poblacion in Monkayo, Barangay Bankerohan Sur and Bankerohan Norte in Montevista and Barangay Gabi in Compostela town where at least 4,000 beneficiaries received food packs consisting of rice, blanket, coffee, milk, slippers, corned beef, and other canned goods as well as white sugar, thanks to contributions from STAR readers and benefactors.

The second round of Operation Damayan’s relief operation in Compostela Valley was made possible by a P2.5-million donation of rice by Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc. led by Japanese tycoon Kazuo Okada.

Aside from Upper Barangay Ngan, another 1,580 sacks of rice were also distributed at the barangay hall in Lower Ngan while 850 beneficiaries also received their share in Barangay San Jose in Monkayo. San Jose Barangay Captain Marcelo Sam-o Jr. couldn’t contain his joy for the rice donated to his constituents.

Like Sam-o, who profusely thanked Operation Damayan for the generous donation, Barangay Ngan captain Margarito Alcos also conveyed his gratitude for the blessing that came to his more than 2,662 constituents that benefited from last Sunday’s distribution.

The second round of Operation Damayan’s Compostela Valley distribution also proved to be an eye-opener for Masahiro Terada, president of Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc. as well as for his vice president Kenji Sugiyama, who both accompanied The STAR team last Sunday.

Both Terada and Sugiyama agreed that in spite of the hardships and difficulties the Pablo survivors went through, hope was not lost on them.

“You could see in the eyes of those people that they are full of hope. Their eyes shine and how they smile! They may have lost their homes but they haven’t lost hope that they will overcome the difficulties,” Terada said.

Sugiyama said that they themselves went through a harrowing experience with the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011 but that they have likewise managed to rise above the adversity.

“This time, we really need to help those people who are in need in whatever way,” Terada said.

Operation Damayan acknowledges the support of Compostela Valley Gov. Arthur Uy and the staff and personnel of the provincial government for their invaluable assistance extended to The STAR team that conducted the relief mission.

Special thanks also go to officials of the Philippine Ports Authority at the Sasa Wharf, Sulpicio Lines Davao City office and the countless others who helped in assuring that the rice cargo would be released in time for distribution.