Continuing Relief Operations Benefit 338 Families
Over 338 families badly affected by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Negros Oriental in February this year are the recent beneficiaries of Silliman University’s continuing relief operations on April 30.
A Ceres bus carried a group of over 30 students and employees of the University to the municipality of Tayasan. They distributed relief goods and gave lectures on stress management, hygiene and sanitation and food preparation.
The group was composed of members of the Silliman University Volunteer Fire and Rescue Unit, students and teachers of the College of Nursing, Psychology Department, Nutrition and Dietetics Department, and a team from the University’s Counseling, Advocacy, Research & Evaluation Education Services unit. Coordinating the relief operations was the Institutional Advancement Office.
Each family received a pack containing noodles, coffee and rice. Another pack contained clothing, shoes, blankets, towels, pillows, kitchen wares and toys. These were donations from friends and alumni, mostly secured by ABS-CBN, Children’s Hour Philippines, Inc., Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Kalihukang Bisaya and Panday Tinig Ensemble in Quebec, Canada.
Along with the distribution were lectures on different topics aimed at helping the earthquake victims maintain good health and a clean environment. The Silliman volunteers took turns in discussing among groups of beneficiaries how to recover from trauma, prepare for a disaster, and prevent sickness and diseases.
Silliman played an important role in generating public support during the two recent tragedies that hit the province: typhoon Sendong in December last year and 6.9 magnitude earthquake in February this year. Thousands of relief goods and cash donations were coursed through Silliman by alumni and friends and big organizations, such as ABS-CBN, the Catholic Medical Mission, USA and the Filipino Children’s Fund, Inc. in New York.
On May 11, Silliman University will culminate its relief operations in the same municipality, Tayasan, in order to focus on reconstruction.
