Ambassador, Cabalen Head Turn Over Filcom Norway Donation to Flood Victims

Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso and Cabalen Norway President Nene Puyat handed over on 27 January 2010 about PHP 530,000 to the Carael Elementary School through Campus Crusade for Christ Project Director Art Adriano. The simple ceremony was held right at the temporary shelter in Botolan provided by the Zambales government to the 231 elementary students and their families. The residents have been living in makeshift tents for five months now since Typhoon Kiko swept away their homes and school last August.

Despite their dire conditions living in squalid makeshift homes with the barest sanitation and other facilities, the pupils warmly welcomed the visitors from Norway, singing songs of “Mabuhay” and waving their hands cheerfully. On the day the delegation arrived, having traveled ten hours from Manila, the students were carrying on with their lives, studying their usual subjects in their open-air temporary school. Principal Marlyn Dumlao, together with her staff of public school teachers, were on hand to receive the donation. Principal Dumlao thanked the Filipino Community in Norway, the Philippine Embassy, the Filipino Christian Center, the Oslo Music Academy, Intex Mining Resources, the Filipino Working Group and the Cabalen Group of Norway for their substantial contribution to the fund.

Ambassador Buensuceso prayed for the pupils and their teachers and encouraged them not to lose hope because God will help them in their difficult situation. It was difficult for all those present not to shed a tear as their story of how they survived the typhoon and their hope for a better future unfolded. She thanked the teachers for their courage and perseverance in continuing to teach the students even in the most difficult of situations.

Very few people are aware of the plight of the Botolan, Zambales flood victims because the calamity has not been covered by media publicity. In fact, very little help has reached the victims because of this lack of information.

The needs of the victims are many and diverse ranging from basic necessities as food, shelter, clothes and a school where they could resume their normal lives and pursue their interrupted education. Ambassador Buensuceso requested Mr. Art Adriano and Principal Dumlao to discuss how they can prioritize their needs so that the funds could be put to maximum use, since the issue of rebuilding the school is still pending. Mr. Adriano also disclosed that CCC intends to use part of the funds to start a livelihood project for the women of the barangay so that they would be able to earn a living. Because of the precarious location of Carael Elementary School, being situated at the mouth of a river, the local government of Botolan intends to transfer the school to a higher location.