In Bohol, Residents of islets also need help

CEBU, Philippines - The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Inc. (RAFI) yesterday sent out assessment teams to coordinate relief efforts with other organizations and to check on the 44 smaller of islands of Bohol.

Following a meeting Monday night with RAFI teams that took part in the distribution of the first batch of RAFI's relief packs Thursday last week, it was learned that the islets need to be attended to also.

Early morning yesterday, RAFI sent to the mainland an assessment team to coordinate with the Office of the Governor to get data on the other ongoing relief efforts in Bohol. 

The team, which includes the RAFI's Education Development Unit Executive Director Anthony Dignadice, will check the various locations of Bohol, communicate with the many organizations to coordinate the sending of relief items, and come up with an assessment report to provide RAFI leadership a field-base report that would serve as basis for future relief goods to send to Bohol.

Dignadice is specifically tasked to look at school buildings, identifying areas where education is badly affected, for future RAFI interventions through its school rehabilitation and day care center construction programs.

The team also includes RAFI Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (EJACC) program coordinator Ronald de los Reyes, who focused on the psycho-social needs of the victims.

Meanwhile, RAFI sent out another assessment team on a rented pump boat to check on the islets of Bohol to establish what all the residents there badly need.

Bohol has 44 islets, with six in Tubigon, seven in Calape, five in Inabanga, six in Loon, one in Buenavista, five in Clarin, six in Getafe, and eight in Talibon.

Initially, however, RAFI is sending relief goods to the islets of Tubigon and Loon, which has been assessed already by the RAFI Micro-finance Talibon branch.

RAFI is hiring five pump boats, including one that would leave Argao, Cebu for Loon anytime tomorrow.

"This is still part of the major relief operation of RAFI for Bohol.  The smaller islands are also affected but isolated and receiving less intervention from the others. So RAFI is filling that gap," said RAFI Chief Operating Officer Dominica B. Chua.

Seeing that even what it prepared is not enough, RAFI is setting aside more funds for its relief operations for Bohol for its second batch of relief goods this week and third batch next week.

RAFI is grateful for donations from well-meaning Cebuanos who took time in bringing items to its office and depositing cash donations through its bank accounts.

RAFI has so far spent P2.5 million from its own funds that, coupled with the donations from Cebuanos, would come a long way for the people of Bohol.

"RAFI shares the burden of suffering our fellow Boholanos felt after the devastating earthquake. As part of our social responsibility, we have to respond so that we can alleviate their lives and ease their pain," added Chua, when asked why RAFI is shelling out a million pesos more for its relief efforts.

RAFI is likewise acting as a drop-off point it is also urging all well-meaning Cebuanos to send their donations, either in cash or in kind, in its office at 35 Lopez Jaena St., Parian, Cebu City across Casa Gorordo Museum.

Those donating cash could go to any Unionbank of the Philippines branches and deposit the money under the name of the foundation through its Peso Account No. 0027-8000-3279; or its Dollar Account No. 1327-8000-0852. /JMO (FREEMAN)