The storm cloud has a golden lining

MANILA, Philippines - It has been proven time and again that calamities bring out the best in people. What happened after tropical storm “Sendong” struck the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan last month was no different. Soon after the flashfloods brought by Sendong left so much death and destruction in its wake, help started pouring in from all corners of the country and the world. Local and international groups responded to the immediate needs of the flood survivors by bringing in truckloads of relief goods. Even ordinary individuals shared what they could by giving foodstuff and used clothing.

Among the media organizations that heeded the call to help was The Philippine STAR, through its charitable arm Operation Damayan.

When The STAR decided to bring Operation Damayan to the two Northern Mindanao cities, it did so under the radar. Its volunteers did everything, from scouting the area down to the distribution, without any fanfare. Emy Cruz, head of Operation Damayan, led an advance team who spent several days in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan before the scheduled date of the relief operation to lay the groundwork for the actual operation.

It was no surprise then that on the day of the distribution last Jan. 20 in Cagayan de Oro, those who deserved to be given the relief goods did actually get their share. In Barangay Macasandig, one of the worst-hit villages in the city, for instance, Operation Damayan focused on the home-based survivors, those who did not go to evacuation centers and thus received minimal aid donations.

Housewives Annabel Flores, 35, and Maricel Plazo, 33, both of whom have family members who died in the flood when it hit Macasandig on the night of Dec. 16, didn’t mind the heat of the morning sun or the long queue as they waited for their turn to receive the 25-kilo sack of rice and grocery items that Operation Damayan distributed to some 850 flood survivors in Macasandig. They whiled away the time telling stories about the flood that changed their lives forever.

Miguel and Milette Belmonte lead employee-volunteers in distributing blankets donated by Singapore Airlines.

Maricel Plazo was sad that her husband Mark Angelo lost his life saving others. When news reached Mark Angelo, a barangay messenger, that there were portions of Macasandig already flooded, he left his family in a safe place and proceeded to the site.

When daylight came and there was no sign of him, Maricel began looking for her husband. People she asked would tell her they saw Mark Angelo on the night of the flood. But he never came home. His body was found buried in the mud in sitio Biasong, a kilometer away from the Plazos’ house, a few days later.

“He was always like that... not hesitating to lend a hand whenever someone is in dire need. I just wish he is with us today,” Maricel, a mother of two, said.

Although she lost her sister Rosemarie to the rampaging waters, Annabel said she was still thankful that one of her children, 11-year-old Mikee, turned up alive after she went missing for more than 10 hours.

“I thought she was already dead. But I prayed that we will at least recover her body. We scoured the flooded areas the next day but we still couldn’t find her,” she recalled.

Mikee got separated from her family when she was swept away by the strong current. She was submerged in the water twice, and had to hold on to branches before she was rescued. It was on the afternoon of the next day when she was finally reunited with her family.

Residents of Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro with their relief goods from Operation Damayan.

“Mikee kept telling me how she was brought onboard a boat and was attended to by a very beautiful lady. I have goose bumps every time she would say that,” Annabel said, adding that her daughter has a history of having “visions” of the Virgin Mary when she was small.

It’s not only Mikee Flores who has a tale to tell but there were in fact hundreds of other children who made it through the flood. At a public school in Macasandig where the next stop of Operation Damayan was, 16-year-old Reynante Hanoplo of Tibasak, Macasandig, remembers how he, his five siblings and parents climbed a mango tree and waited for rescuers to arrive. His family was intact but they were not able to save anything except for their statues of the Sto. Niño and the Virgin Mary.

“All my textbooks and notebooks were gone,” Reynante said, adding that the backpack and school supplies that Operation Damayan distributed are a big help in continuing his studies.

This was echoed by Marlo Estrada, a first-year student at the Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School, whose house in Isla de Oro was washed away by the flood. He also lost his books and notes. Marlo is currently living with his father Ernel, a utility worker, and two siblings at the box shelter village, a temporary relocation site consisting of tents that is home to more than 400 families, in Sitio Calaanan, Barangay Canitoan – the last stop of Operation Damayan in Cagayan de Oro.

Since the relocation area has no electricity, Marlo and the other kids have to make do by studying and doing their assignments under the street lamps.

Although most were not able to voice it aloud, a lot of recipients of the Operation Damayan donations like Regina Bajao, 59, a box shelter village resident, did not hesitate to express their gratitude.

Children whose textbooks and notebooks had been washed away now have new bags and school supplies.

Regina received in behalf of her three grandchildren Angelica, 11, Bryan, 7, and Bluey, 9, the bags and school materials since they were at school at the time. The children were having difficulty participating in class since they lack notebooks and writing pads.

“Salamat gyud kayo sa Philippine STAR ug sa Operation Damayan. Naa na gyud magamit akong mga apo. (Thanks to The Philippine STAR and Operation Damayan, my grandkids now have school supplies),” Regina said with a smile that said it all.

Operation Damayan’s relief operations in CDO and Iligan were made possible by the generous support of Multi-forms Corporation, Fermin Barrenchea III, Nora Perez, Sherwin Imperial, Anna Camille Valenzuela, Familie of Victims and Involuntary Disappearance, PSN Editorial Department, Bong and Beth Monforte, Maribel Limpiada, Merchants Association, Tanya Lara, Cynthia Camacho, Charina Trusted Maids, TGFHA, Generika STFF-Comembo and Cembo Makati, Ed Rempillo, Rotary Club of San Juan Gems, CCD-Tanza, PhilWeb Corp., R.Sy. Classfinder, Ma. Lourdes Agustin, JMS International Inc., and RCBC Bankard.