Now It's Our Turn To Share

It wasn’t long ago when Western Visayas experienced nature’s wrath in Typhoon Frank. There was massive flooding in the provinces of Iloilo and Aklan, and many postal employees lost their homes and their belongings. Appeals for help reached the high heavens, moving hearts to donate in cash or kind. The response from postal employees coming from the different regions was overwhelming. They donated food, clothing, and cash, and before long, we who were affected by the typhoon were able to begin to rebuild our lives.

Now another typhoon, Ondoy, has swept over the country causing flooding again, this time, in Metro Manila and the neighboring provinces. There are many postal employees who have not been spared by nature’s fury. Ondoy damaged their homes and destroyed their possessions, and we who have experienced the wrath of nature just over a year ago, could very well relate to their situation.

And so, moved by the same spirit of generosity that has helped us moved on in one way or the other, we share whatever we can with our fellow postal employees. Personnel Section Chief Cynthia I. Amaguin spearheaded the collection campaign for clothes and goods, and these were sent to the Employees Welfare Division for distribution last October 5, 2009.

HOMELESS, BUT NOT HOPELESS

There are many lessons learned from Typhoon Frank, and there are many good things that happened as well. Hearts were moved, relationships strengthened, and everyone offered a helping hand. No questions needed to be asked; no justifications were necessary. Postal 6 employees naturally and readily responded to cries for help from fellow postal employees.

Regional postal employees contributed at least P 4,000 in cash, and this was used to buy food, water, blankets, and many other household items. The Acting Operations Director, Benjie Yotoko, immediately went to Kalibo to offer moral support and supervise the clean-up operation of Kalibo P.O. The indefatigable Regional Director Lilia O. Barcelon braved the bad weather and rough roads to personally bring relief goods, food, and hope to the victims. The postal employees were so moved by the untiring support of Director Barcelon.

The postal district of Antique, under the leadership of Ms. Elsa Pameroyan, brought bags of relief goods to Kalibo. Employees of Roxas City Post Office also gave food and clothes to the victims in Kalibo. The Philippine Postal Corporation Credit Cooperative, under the chairmanship of Atty. Stevenson Conlu, released P 20,000 for each affected postal district.

The Central Office continues to offer support to Region 6. The Postmaster General, Hector R.R. Villanueva, through the initiative of APMG Luis D. Carlos, authorized the release of P 300,000 for the immediate repairs of the post offices and to buy the necessary relief goods for at least 100 postal employees who have either lost their abodes or much of their treasured properties.

The PPC Medical Clinic, led by Dr. Francisco Cojuanco, sent six boxes of medicines. Just

today, July 15, we received 15 boxes from PPC Region IX, headed by Regional Director Carlo S. Argana. The boxes contained slippers, noodles, sardines, coffee, clothes, shoes, and bags.

Retired postal employee Aurora Bonifacio spearheaded a project that sought donations from retired postal employees, including the former APMG for Marketing, Felipe Hidalgo, Jr. Ms. Bonifacio is presently in the region with Linda Vayson to personally deliver six boxes of medicines, clothes, and shoes.

A box from DEMS-CMEC containing children’s clothes also came in today. Mrs. Liza Binondo sent a box of clothes as well.

Donations continue to pour in. We are deeply moved by the overwhelming response from postal workers all over the Philippines. With all the support coming from fellow postal employees, the thought of moving on and starting anew becomes bearable.

Typhoon Frank left many employees homeless, but definitely not hopeless. So, you see, Frank has not taken everything away, because for as long as there’s hope, anything is possible.

As they say, there is sunshine after the rain, after all …

Typhoon Frank in Western Visayas

When Typhoon Frank lashed out its fury in Western Visayas, almost every one came unprepared. Landslides and flashfloods affected a great number of people, particularly in the provinces of Iloilo and Aklan. Approximately 100 postal employees were not spared of the wrath brought by Typhoon Frank. Houses were either washed away or destroyed by the dark, murky waters.

Relief operations are being conducted in Aklan, organized by no less than the PPC-6 Regional Director herself, Director Lilia O. Barcelon. Donations in kind and cash poured in from fellow postal employees. The Philippine Postal Corporation Credit Cooperative also contributed P 20,000 to every postal district affected. In addition to these, through the initiative of APMG for Administration Luis D. Carlos, Postmaster General Hector RR. Villanueva authorized the release of the amount of P 300,000 out of the funds of the Corporation to enable the relief mission in Aklan, the hardest hit postal district. As of July 2, there is still no electricity in Aklan, and telephone lines are all out of order. Water supply has become available only on July 2

Mails, packages and accountable forms were soaked in mud and water; so too were our mail vans. Repairs are being undertaken at the moment. There is a lot of cleaning to do, both inside the post office and its surroundings. There are a lot of repairs to be done. The Kalibo Post Office is a sorry sight and needs total rehabilitation. Tables, chairs, and other basic office equipment are needed.

No dispatches have been made since June 23 up to the present. Mails from CMEC temporarily rerouted to or accepted at Roxas City are already collected for processing in Kalibo Sub-DC. The post office is still in the process of opening the mailbags received since the typhoon hit the province on June 21, 2008.

Despite all these, Kalibo Post Office begun accepting items for mailing in the interest of the service. Delivery of mails has resumed on Monday, July 7.