Friday, June 24, 2011

Strong typhoon devastates Romblon, the rest of the Philippines


Romblon was among the hardest hit provinces by typhoon “Frank.” The Signal 3 typhoon cut a wide swath of destruction affecting the entire Philippines. It entered the country’s so-called area of responsibility in Eastern Visayas and instead of turning north when it reached Bicol Region as predicted, it barrelled westwards hitting Western Visayas, Romblon and Mindoro before it swung north hitting the entire Luzon Island.

The typhoon also caused the sinking of the Philippines’ biggest ferry ship, Sulpicio Lines’ Princess of the Stars off San Fernando, Sibuyan Island in Romblon. More than 700 are feared dead.

In San Agustin, large waves battered the Carmen-Sugod-Long Beach road impeding motorized travel except motorcycles. Power lines toppled cutting off supply throughout the island.

At the height of the storm on Saturday night (June 28), Van Mark (Van Van) Elisan’s house was battered by the waves and was swept away. Fortunately, the rest of his family escaped injury or greater harm.

CERV had three volunteers in Romblon during the storm. Peter Barnett and Andrew Hudson were in San Agustin while Dennise Dunn was in Romblon Town, Romblon.

Paul Murray and Colin Lee-Chee arrived last Saturday from a short vacation in Hong Kong and were safely back in Manila before the worst of the typhoon devastated Metro Manila. New volunteer Leighton Wood spent Sunday, when Typhoon Frank was on top of Manila, at the CERV dorm. Kyle Engman was with his girlfriend in Antipolo City while mother-daughter Bette Luck and Jill Boike were at the Holiday Inn in Pasig City.

In CERV’s previous placement area of Iloilo, the entire province was hit by flash floods that killed dozens. Strong winds, torrential rains and flash floods also hit Dumangas. Barangay Tabucan was complete inundated, including Audy Detablan’s house.

As of this writing, families affected by typhoon Frank in Western Visayas Philippines continue to increase as partial and official report from the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) here disclosed 123,450 families or 612,775 individuals already displaced, 221 persons missing, 29 injured and 105 dead.

As of 2 a.m. Monday, June 27, the OCD report showed that 1,308 barangays have been affected by the typhoon and 44,708 families or 231,938 persons are staying in 284 evacuation centers all over the region. Moreover, 9,986 houses were totally destroyed, of which 20,687 partially damaged.

Five hundred thirty-three barangays were affected in Iloilo; Capiz came second with 473 barangays; Iloilo City, 113; Antique, 102; Negros Occidental, 60; Bacolod City and Guimaras at 12 barangays each and Aklan three barangays.
The highest number of death was also recorded in Iloilo province with 68, where 65 of whom are still unidentified followed by Iloilo City with 15; Antique, 12; Capiz, nine; Negros Occidental, one.

Reports of deaths and devastation continue to pour in from all over the country.

Friday, June 10, 2011

New program to impart the wonderful world of reading to Filipino kids; health program is temporarily shelved


CERV announces the creation of a new program and the dissolution of one if its original programs.

“We are pleased to announce the creation of our Children’s Reading Program as we are saddened that we have decided to shelve one of our original program offerings—the Health Program,” CERV co-founder and director Raymund Villanueva said.

CERV also announced the cessation of its Manila placement operations after one of its staff bid the organization goodbye due to health reasons. The Philippine program retains its popular School Building, Teaching and Environment programs in San Agustin, Romblon.  This picturesque and peaceful coastal town a hundred kilometres south of the Philippine capital Manila is CERV's project area.

Building a community library

CERV is currently building a two-storey structure at the site of its mangrove nursery in San Agustin, Romblon, slated to be completed in October this year.

“A library will be put up on the building’s ground floor where students from San Agustin schools may read, conduct research, and borrow books,” he said.

While there are about 15 or so primary and secondary schools plus a satellite college campus in San Agustin, there is no proper library in this town of  about 30,000 people.  Most of the schools have reading corners at best and the number of books available is inadequate.  CERV volunteers have repaired and enhanced existing library spaces but the lack of books is an overbearing problem that prevents most students from conducting proper research and start loving to read.  Research through the internet is a remote possibility as ownership of computers is limited to less than one percent of San Agustin residents and internet connection is woeful.

Volunteer Leighton Wood has donated $5,000 (Canadian) to jumpstart the construction and is in fact in the Philippines for the third time to spearhead the building himself.  Leighton saved up for nearly two years for the project.

Volunteer Richard Kastenschmidt and wife Renee of the United States has consistently donated funds to buy power tools to aid Leighton and the local builders in the construction.

Volunteer Dagmar Gaber sent two boxfuls of books from Germany that will serve as the initial batch of books that will be lent around.  Dagmar is a member of Book Crossings, an international book lovers club that “frees” books after they have been read by its original owners to be enjoyed by a greater number of people.

“Our funds are still insufficient at this point to finish the construction and we need more books to start coming in, especially reference books like encyclopaedia, in order for us to meet our self-imposed October opening date,” Raymund said.

CERV is appealing for more cash and book donations.

Reading Program

Raymund said they are excited about the reading program.

CERV said that Reading Program volunteers shall have their tasks cut out for them.  First, they would have to catalogue the books and arrange them according to subjects.  Then they would go around the schools to announce the library’s establishment and invite the students to visit, read, conduct research and borrow books.

Volunteers shall also be asked to establish reading clubs in these schools.  Among Day Care, Pre-School and Primary School students, volunteers will also be asked to conduct regular read-along sessions.

Since CERV now owns a small vehicle, the volunteers may later go around the schools to collect borrowed books and lend new ones to reading club members.

“Our objective is to introduce the wonderful world of books to the thousands of San Agustin students.  Children in developed countries take this privilege and pleasure for granted, but rural communities in the Philippines are not so blessed,” Raymund explained.

Reading club membership shall not be limited to students.  Out of school youths may be invited to join.

Introducing the joy and discipline of reading and conducting proper research will complement formal tutelage in classrooms, thereby enhancing the quality of education that are given the children of San Agustin.

Volunteers shall also assist the students conducting research at the library.

“There is an instant feedback mechanism in this kind of program.  The more borrowers and visitors to the library, and the more requests for read-along sessions, the better the volunteer is performing in this program,” Raymund said.

Temporary shelving of the Health Program

Which is the exact opposite of the Health Program.

“It is hard for us to assure a consistent volume work for our health volunteers as everything is largely dependent on the number of patients at a given time,” explained Raymund.

It is not that there are no sick people or ailments that need medical attention in San Agustin.  CERV does not have a clinic of its own and it can not afford to hire a supervising doctor (as required by Philippine laws), and buy medicines and equipment.

“If we can not guarantee consistent volume of work, then we are forced to consider our options,” CERV said.

But CERV will still accept health volunteers who would be bringing their own medicines and basic equipment.

“One possibility is for group of medical professionals or students to conduct focused medical missions—such as vaccinations, dental clinics, health education campaigns—provided that they bring the medicines and the equipment they need,” Raymund said.

The CERV building that is being constructed may also CERV as a community clinic, he added