Together with MIGRANTE INTERNATIONAL, the TASK FORCE Children of the Storm held a gift giving activity to the victims of typhoons Ondoy (Ketsana) and Santi (Lupit) in the coastal municipality of Bay (pronounced as Ba-i), Laguna; last December 19, 2009. The communities were home to many families of migrant workers.
Part of Laguna Lake that swelled during the typhoons Ondoy, Parma and Santi. This photo was taken right beside the elementary school in Brgy. Tagumpay
The municipality of Bay, Laguna is situated along the coast line of Laguna Lake, which swelled in the wake of four consecutive typhoons that hit the Philippines last September and October and to date, has not yet receded. First stop of the group’s gift giving activity was in Brgy. Marianville, where 100 temporary shelters for typhoon victims were built by the Swiss Humanitarian Aid. Majority of the at least 1000 individuals who currently reside here were from Brgy. Alfonso and Tagumpay, two of the Barangays situated near the lake.
The group distributed school supplies for children in pre-school and elementary level, while their parents received used clothing donated by different migrant groups, organizations and individuals all over the world.
The flood victims' temporary shelter in Brgy. Marianville, built by the Swiss Humanitarian Aid.
Children evacuees form a long line for the distribution of christmas gifts.
Volunteers from the Task Force Children of the Storm and Migrante distributed school supplies to the children-victims.
Used clothings donated by individuals and groups from abroad were distributed to the evacuees.
The second area that the group visited was Brgy. Tagumpay, the original community of the victims temporarily residing in Marianville. The group distributed school supplies and used clothing to the victims who already returned to their community from Marianville. Some of the purok or sitios of this barangay were totally washed away during the onslaught of typhoon Santi. One of several buildings of an elementary school was completely crushed to the ground by rampaging waters from the lake coupled with the strong winds. The school still houses seven families of evacuees.
The last stop of the gift-giving activity in Laguna was in Barangay Galvez, adjacent to Brgy. Tagumpay.
The road leading to Bgy. Tagumpay in Bay, Laguna remains flooded to date.
A boy sheepishly smiles as he showed his ticket for the gift-giving.
Volunteers from Australia hand out relief good to evacuees.
GIFT-GIVING IN SITIO TALANAY
The Task Force also facilitated the gift-giving activity of the KAIBIGAN Foundation to the evacuees in Talanay evacuation center last December 22, 2009. The group provided the evacuees with food packs and potable drinking water.
The evacuees have been in the basketball court for almost 3 months now. They were not allowed to return to their homes situated under the San Mateo Bridge and yet no relocation site was identified for them.
The children in the evacuation center completed the psycho-social debriefing process facilitated by the Task force within six consecutive weeks.
Evacuees patiently waited for the distribution of goods.
KAIBIGAN Foundation staff distributed to the evacuees the relief packs that also served as early Christmas gifts for them.
Children recieved relief packs for their family.
The Task Force also distributed the kits (comprised of toys and games, big plastic containers, materials for tents) for child friendly spaces for evacuation centers from UNICEF and boxes of used clothing from various donors from Singapore, HK, Canada and the US to the women’s organizations that are currently catering the need of evacuees in Bgy. Bagong Silangan, Sitio Talanay, Bgy. Tatalon and in Muntinlupa and Alabang evacuation centers. The psycho-social processing activities were completed in the Bgy. Bagong Silangan and Sitio Talanay while activities in Bgy. Tatalon and in Muntinlupa and Alabang will start in January 2010.
MORE PHOTOS:
Marianville Temporary Shelter
at Barangay Tagumpay
Brgy. Tagumpay's multi-purpose court remains submerged in water from the Laguna Lake. The court was rendered useless for months and was already covered with water lilies. This photo was taken a few steps from the distribution area during the gift giving activity.
Children play in the space that used to be the administration building of the elementary school. At the background is the main school building that serves as temporary housing for seven families.
The ruins of the school building crushed by strong winds and flood surge from the Laguna Lake
An old man fixes his fishing net. Fishing is the main source of income for the residents of this barangay.
at Barangay Galvez
at Talanay Evacuation Center
