Health Facility for Typhoon Sendong Survivors in Iligan City

Another recipient of an integrated health facility from the joint assistance program of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes- Sweepstakes Employment Union-PCSO Employees Mutual Benefit Fund (PCSO-SEU-PEMBF) and Mater et Puer Foundation, Inc. was the City Government of Iligan. 

This was the result of the partnership of PCSO-SEU-PEMBF, Mater et Puer Foundation, Inc. and the local government of Iligan City. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed sometime in August 2012 at the Office of the City Mayor for Iligan by Mayor Lawrence Lluch Cruz, Atty. Dina Joy C. Teñala and Ms. Cecile Bañas-Solis for Mater et Puer foundation, Inc., Atty. Raveno Joy Rama for PCSO-SEU and Mr. Mario Pelisco for PCSO. 

On April 2, 2013, the Integrated Health Facility for Bayanihan Village at the Barangay Sta. Elena Relocation Site (for Typhoon Sendong survivors), Iligan City, was finally inaugurated and turned over to the local government.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony by Atty. Jose Ferdinand Rojas II (PCSO General Manager),

Atty. Ma. Louisa M. Viloria-Yap, Chairman of Mater et Puer Foundation, Inc., 

PCSO-SEU President Chris Bautista and Dr. Cherlina Cañaveral (Iligan City Health Officer).

The inauguration on April 2, 2013 was graced by then incumbent Mayor of Iligan City, Hon. Lawrence Lluch Cruz, Iligan City Councilor Jose L. Zalsos,  Atty. Jose Ferdinand Rojas II (PCSO General Manager),  Mr. Chris Bautista (PCSO-SEU President), Mr. Mario Pelisco (PCSO Misamis Oriental Manager), certain officials of the local government of Iligan City, namely: Dr. Cherlina Cañaveral (City Health Officer), Mr. Rey Roque (Housing Resettlement Officer), Hon. Ruperto Alicaway (Barangay Captain of Sta. Elena) and Hon. Helen Lacar (Barangay Kagawad- Health). The officers of Mater et Puer Foundation, Inc. came in full force.

Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Lluch Cruz

Atty. Jose Ferdinand Rojas II (PCSO General Manager)

Iligan City Councilor Jose L. Zalsos with Mr. Chris Bautista, Atty. Ravena Joy Rama 

and Atty. Ma. Louisa Viloria-Yap

Punong Barangay Ruperto Alicaway with 

Atty. Arlene Lorejo-Cosape (President of Mater et Puer Foundation, Inc.)

Officers of both PCSO-SEU and Mater et Puer Foundation, Inc. with 

Mayor Lawrence Cruz and Atty. Jose Ferdinand Rojas II

Officers of Mater et Puer Foundation, Inc. with Mayor Lawrence Cruz, 

City Councilor Jose Zalsos, Barangay Captain Ruperto Alicaway,  

Project Coordinator Danny Tagailo and Architect Glenn Ferrer Bartolome.

Kudos to our President and Project Manager, Atty. Arlene Lorejo-Cosape, Project Coordinator Danny Tagailo and Architect Glenn Ferrer Bartolome for a job well done!

Super Typhoon Pablo: The Aftermath (Compostela, ComVal Province)

"Help us!!! Donation please... We have nothing to eat!"

The moment we entered the first municipality of  Compostela Valley (Comval) Province yesterday (December 11, 2012), we were greeted by fallen trees and roofless houses. Tall, age-old bamboo trees, known for their endurance and flexibility, failed to withstand super typhoon Pablo's wrath. Some of them laid on the side of the road showing their uprooted fibrous roots.

When we reached the highway leading straight to the Municipality of Compostela, a grimmer picture greeted us. No word can fully describe the somber ambiance of the area.  

Trees that survived the storm stood on the ground- frail and basically lifeless.  

Thousands of hectares of banana plantations were eradicated overnight.

Some lost their roofs, others lost their walls. A lot more totally lost their homes.

Warehouses and big rice mills were not spared. 

A gloomy sight along the highway.

A military truck carrying donated coffins.

People displayed their placards begging for food along the highway as they waited for relief goods.

At a little past 1:00 p.m., we finally arrived at the Barangay Hall of Barangay San Miguel, Compostela, where throngs of people waited for us. A pile of steel trusses occupied the adjacent lot. "That used to be our gym," the people informed us. Sadly, in front of the fallen structure were what used to be the homes of these people.

We would like to thank Provincial Board Member Josielyn Romano and all the leaders of Barangay San Miguel, particularly their Barangay Chairman, for the orderly distribution of the relief goods.

We would also like to thank Fr. Artemio "Jun" Toyco, Jr., Parish Priest of the Municipality of Compostela,  for volunteering to help us distribute the other relief goods we brought with us.

 

This will NOT be the end of our relief operations for the victims of  Super Typhoon Pablo.We are now preparing to send food packs and medicines to one of the hardest hit areas in Davao Oriental. 

A BIG THANKS to our friends and families who have pledged to help us in this endeavor.

Therapeutic Intervention for Children Under Stress Due to Calamities

When Typhoon Sendong struck the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, thousands of survivors were not only  left homeless but severely traumatized as well.  The urgent need for psycho-social support became apparent. 


To address this problem, the Mater et Puer Foundation, together with its partner, the PCSO-SEU-PEMBF, provided logistical support to bring in a team of trauma psycho-social experts headed by Mr. Jojet Mondares in order to train volunteers on the basics of debriefing trauma victims, especially children.