Rotary gives long term help to RP typhoon victims; solar energy for Bukidnon sought

ROTARY GIVES LONG TERM HELP TO RP TYPHOON VICTIMS: Ms. Lyne Abanilla, the chairman for the last three years of Rotary International’s (RI) Public Imaging Resource Group for its Zone 7 covering the Philippines and Indonesia, says Rotary is now busy doing all it can to provide immediate and long term help to Filipinos affected by Typhoons Ondoy and Quedan.

Here is a press release she issued the other day on how Rotary International is providing this immediate and long term assistance:

“Members of Rotary International, one of the world’s largest humanitarian service organizations (www.rotary.org), are providing urgent relief to Philippine communities affected by Typhoons Parma and Ketsana – two major storms that, combined, killed at least 400 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

“As a community-based organization made up of business and professional leaders, Rotary is working through its clubs at the grassroots level to provide aid and assistance---both immediate and long term to those impacted by the storms.

-ooo-

FILIPINO ROTARIANS DISTRIBUTE THOUSANDS OF RELIEF PACKS: “Philippine Rotary members immediately swung into action to facilitate relief operations to areas hit hard by the typhoon. Relief efforts include the following:

“1) Ten thousand relief packs of rice, noodles, sardines, hygiene kit, slippers and clothes, mats and blankets distributed in Marikina, Pasig, Cainta.

“2) Three thousand-five hundred relief packs distributed in Taguig, Pateros and Muntinlupa.

“3) Two thousand relief packs distributed in Zambales and Pampanga.

“4) Three-hundred life-saving tents in cooperation with ShelterBox (www.shelterbox.org), an international disaster relief charity supported by Rotary clubs around the world. Each 10-person tent contains blankets, water purification, cooking equipment and other essentials.

“Rotarians are continuing their relief efforts in coordination with the government. `A lot has to be done,’ said RI District 3790 Gov. Oyan Villanueva, one of those spearheading Rotary’s relief efforts.

“ `The rebuilding of the community does not end with what has been distributed,’ he added.

-ooo-

PHILIPPINE ROTARY APPEALS FOR MORE DONATIONS: “Rotary clubs in the Philippines are running an appeal for donations. For information regarding donations, please contact TASK FORCE BOTOLAN through Bert Misa at 09155070639.

“Or any interested party can send an email to the different Rotary district governors in the Philippines, at the following email addresses: office3790@yahoo.com, govsid0910@gmail.com or rudysf@yahoo.com or email Lyne Abanilla at lyneabanilla@yahoo.com.

“Rotary---an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide in humanitarian service---has more than 1.2 million members in more than 33,000 clubs in over 200 countries and geographic regions.

“As volunteers, Rotary members have been serving the needs of communities worldwide since 1905….”

-ooo-

SOLAR POWER FOR BUKIDNON PUSHED: Ramon Naguita, a Filipino who is making good in Ontario, Canada sent me the following article containing his appeal for help for a project he calls SOLARIZATION FOR A FARMING COMMUNITY IN BUKIDNON! (Pardon the capital letters, that was the way he sent it to me, through multiply.com):

“ NEW ILO-ILO, KIDAPUKAN, PANGANTUKAN, BUKIDNON, IS ONE OF THE MANY PLACES IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, WHICH DIRELY NEEDS THE LIGHTING OF THEIR PLACE.

“THE POWER GRID FROM THE NATIONAL POWER CORPORATION IS TOO FAR AND EXPENSIVE TO CONNECT TO THIS PLACE SINCE THE RETURN OF INVESTMENT IS NOT FEASIBLE.

“IT IS ABOUT TO 12-15 KMS. AWAY AND WITH OVER 1 MILLION PESOS AS BUDGET PER KM. OF ELECTRICT CONNECTION, IT IS AS GOOD AS A DEAD INVESTMENT, FOR THE RESIDENTIAL PLACE….

-ooo-

SITIO NEW ILOILO NEEDS POTABLE WATER, ACCESS ROADS: “THIS PLACE WAS ABOUT 200 KMS. AWAY FROM DAVAO CITY, VIA MARAMAG-DON CARLOS WITH A BUS, STOPPING AT BARANGAY BOC-BOC, FROM HERE YOU HAVE TO TAKE A HABAL-HABAL ( SINGLE MOTOR BIKE ) FOR TRIP OF 25 TO 30 KMS.

“AND ONE HAS TO STOP AT BARANGAY MAUSWAGON OF DON CARLOS TOWNSHIP, TAKE A HORSE RIDE FOR 12 KMS., AND WALK THROUGH SLOPPY HILLS TO REACH THE PLACE: SITIO NEW ILO-ILO.

“IT IS A FARMING COMMUNITY WITH RICE AND CORN AS MAIN PRODUCE. WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE CAN DO TO THIS COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR WAY OF LIFE? BUILD A FARM TO MARKET ROAD?

“POTABLE DRINKING WATER MUST BE PROVIDED FOR THE PEOPLE, SINCE THEY TAKE WATER FROM A RIVER BANK ( CALLED TABAY ) WHICH IS DANGEROUS FOR WATERBORNE DISEASES…”

-30-