Pasacao, Camarines Sur

Monday, February 5, 2007

The Bicol Regions of Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay and Sorsogon were hit with a 1-2-3-4-5 punch of Typhoon Milenyo (Sept 27, 2006), relocation due to Mayon eruption, Typhoon Reming (Nov. 30, 2006), Typhoon Seniang (December 7-12, 2006), and the Mayon landslide. The needs were great and FTH tried to put together 3 teams and CFO had 2 teams to meet the challenge. This is the last leg of a 10-town tour of FtH in the Bicol Region.

Monday, February 5, 2007- We left San Jose and headed west past Naga City towards Pasacao, Camarines Sur. It was a holiday and the local government was closed but the son of the Mayor and his special assistant met us at the Municipal Hall. He led us to the pier where a small boat was waiting already, loaded with the relief goods for the residents in a remote barangay. This Barangay Sarimao is isolated from the rest of the town and can only be reached by a foot bridge so it was decided to use a boat to ferry the heavy gifts, a 30 minute boat ride. As you ride the boat, you can admire the beauty of Pasacao, the sandy beaches, the clear water of the sea. I hope it will not be spoiled by any accident on the marine terminal for gasoline tanks that we passed by; it supplies the whole province of Camarines Sur with gasoline and diesel fuel.

We landed on the beach just across the chapel where we had the relief distribution. The water was still knee-deep and Tess had to be carried on the shoulder of a guide; almost broke his shoulder. Teenagers helped in unloading the bags of gifts. The chapel was small but it was able to fit most of the 200 recipients. Most of the houses around the chapel are one story, one room, nipa huts with new roofs already replaced after the typhoons. It was a happy get together by the residents with the gifts from strangers, from fellow Pinoys who cares about them, from half way around the world.

After the gift giving, we boarded the boat again for our trip back to town. The guides used a single bamboo pole to use as the ramp to walk up the boat. While Pablito was half way on the ramp, the pole broke! Either Pablito is too heavy or the pole is old and rotten, too small, only one was used, the boat is too high, excuses, excuses, etc, etc. Aboard the boat, we were served a snack of native delicacies and sodas.

On the way back to town, I asked the guides if they know a Bella B. who works in Washington, DC, who requested the relief assistance for Pasacao. Bella B, nee "Bella Amador, a very pretty mestiza, about 50 years old, whose kid was recently married in Las Vegas" (even foreign news travel fast in a small Bicol town) was immediately identified by one of the guides and offered to accompany us to their house in town. We met the mother of Bella but the father was in church. We said hello and goodbye and hope to see them again in Washington.

We went on to Hotel Villa Caceres in Naga City for the trip back to Manila, the following morning. Thus conclude the FtH Bicol Tour of 10 towns in nine days. Was it easy, NO! Will I do it gain, YES! YES!

NOTES: Last 2003, Carl (on his first FtH mission), Tess and Pablito did a gift giving in Naga City and we were the guests of the Pink Sisters in their monastery. The Pink sisters hardly talk, only prayed ALL the time. Five–star service in their 5-star guest rooms, complete with soap, toothbrush, slippers, towels and a hearty breakfast. We just have to be back before the gate close at 8PM (or we sleep in the street, I think). On that day, our plane was not able to land due to early morning fog and the plane tried to land in Legaspi City but with the same visibility problem. We flew back to Manila and waited for the weather to clear. At noon time, they totally cancelled the plane trip and we were forced to hire a van for the land trip to Naga (FtH Volunteers paid for the van). We arrived in the Naga City about 10PM, too late for the morning breakfast that was prepared for us, but the Pink Sisters were very happy FtH did not abandoned them. Carl have been joining FtH missions in the Philippines every year since then.

The preparation done by the CFO staff in coordinating the procurement and packing of the gifts, arrangement for the hotels and transportation for the volunteers, scheduling the gift giving with the local government units (LGU) and non-government officials (NGO) is incredible! And the bits and pieces of the puzzle all fall into its places. There were some delays and breakdowns but all were manageable and we were able to carry out the missions.

It was a fun trip of nine days. After 2 bottles of Robitussin DM, 30 capsules of anti-biotic provided by Nurse Malu in Bulan, a bottle of Listerine to gargle my sore throat, living in a hand carry luggage and a back pack of video camera, flashlight, camera, bottled water and TP; using one shoes and a pair of slippers; sleeping in 6 hotels with somebody snoring like me and me coughing all the time; practicing my ballrooms moves in 2 nights and after one breakfast; having a night swim in a hot spring in Irosin; having my $50 shoes repaired expertly by a child labor for $1 using his agile hands and crude tools; seeing the smiles of about 2,400 recipients having Christmas gifts in January; being able to locate the sites of eight (8) classrooms to be donated through FtH, getting proposals for Feeding Projects and Livelihood Projects, I will do it again for FEED THE HUNGRY and the poor people of Bicol. If there’s a will, HE will show the way!

Pablito,
Thursday, March 01, 2007