LIFE IN THE NEW PHILIPPINES METRO SANTA ROSA Santa Rosa Magazine's SPECIAL FEATURES Section
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STUDENT VICTIMS OF TYPHOON SENDONG RECEIVE SCHOOL AID THEY YEARN FOR Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas comes home to assist PBSP and partners in enabling quick recovery for disaster-stricken students. IT MAY TAKE A LONG TIME TO HEAL THE WOUNDS AND TRAUMA BROUGHT BY TYPHOON SENDONG LAST YEAR, but survivors, particularly the young ones, have shown great determination to start anew.       Despite difficulties, Jasmin Pagador, 6, and two of her elder siblings still go to school with just a few sheets of paper. The flood damaged their village and washed away their belongings which included school bags and uniforms. Fortunately, none of their family members perished during the flood as they were able to climb at the rooftop of a neighbor's house.       Like the rest of the survivors, their determination encouraged compassionate individuals and organizations to help. Humanitarian aid continues to pour for students affected by the deluge. This time, the aid came in the form of an educational assistance consisting of assorted school supplies, shirts and skirts for uniforms, footwear, and books among others.       Jasmin is one of the 471 students of Cabili Village Elementary School who benefited recently from the assistance facilitated by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP). Her school was among those badly hit by the flashflood last December. Jasmin's damaged classroom forced her teacher to find another place to hold classes.       Rafael Lopa, PBSP executive director, visited the damaged schools in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro to see what other areas can PBSP and its corporate partners extend its help.       During the early stage of relief operations, PBSP mobilized its member companies to donate basic survival necessities for the flood-stricken families. Filipinos here and abroad generously responded. PBSP also facilitated the CDO visit of the Filipino-American hip-hop artist Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas. Archive video of Apl De Ap of the Black Eyed Peas guesting on ABS-CBN's Wowowee, chatting with host Willie Revillame, dancing with Luningning, and performing "You Can Dream" with Billy Crawford.       Touched by the present condition, Apl extended his share by giving an upbeat performance to ease the burden of the survivors. He also sent his team to do followup visits in CDO and Iligan to know the other possible needs of survivors. Jennifer Belle, one of Apl’s managers was moved by Jasmin’s story. She doesn’t speak the dialect but she fully understood the girl’s situation.       From relief operations, PBSP is now mobilizing resources to make the challenging rehabilitation efforts happen. With local partners like Goodwill Mindanao Philippines, Inc. (GMPI), projects will be implemented to help the affected communities.                                                                        - Joyce Franzly Racoma and Danny Escabarte *** *** 1600 PUBLIC SHOOL STUDENTS RECEIVE FREE SLIPPERS (Left to Right): Cecile Loretizo, ELRO Commercial and Industrial Corporation Marketing Manager; Roland Salazar, ELRO Commercial and Industrial Corporation Human Resources Manager, and Rafael Lopa, PBSP Executive Director. ELRO COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION donated 1M pesos worth of slippers to the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) to benefit underprivileged children in Mindanao. The slippers were distributed by PBSP's Mindanao Regional Operations (PBSP - MRO) to schools in the Island Municipality of Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan.       A total of 1,600 Grade 3 to 6 students from Baluk-Baluk Elementary School, Lukbungsod Elementary School, Lubukan Elementary School, Tausan Elementary School, Panducan Elementary School, Palahangan Elementary School, Sangbay Big Elementary School, Sangbay Small Elemetary School, Mananggal Elementary School, Dansalan Elementary School, Salisa Primary School received a pair of slippers.                                                                                                                                   - Joyce Racoma (Photo courtesy of PBSP.) PBSP CORPORATE PARTNERS COLLECT P3.6M FOR SENDONG RELIEF EFFORTS. Member companies and other corporate partners of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) were able to collect as of January 6 at least P3.63 million in cash and goods for victims of typhoon Sendong in Northern Mindanao.       Philex Mining and EPSON Precision Phils. each donated P1 million, while Megaworld Corp. poured in P600,000.       PBSP itself together with Global Fund, an international organization that fights AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, contributed P249,000, while NEH Phils. added P200,000.       Brother International, the Angelo King Foundation, and the Salome Tan Foundation each gave P100,000. The Phil. Associated Smelting and Refining Corp. (PASAR) contributed P65,270.       TSM Shipping and the Marriage Encounter Foundation each shared P50,000, while Aboitiz Co. and The Bookmark also shared P25,000 each.       Flour gave P20,000 and IBM gave P15,000, while Apostolic Beloved of Christ shared P12,000.       Medicard Phils. gave out cash and goods amounting to P11,350 while Garces Royal Garden and Biotech each had P10,000.       Asalus Corp. and Hersheys contributed various food and non-food items, while employees from Abbott Phils. shared boxes of canned sardines, used clothing, new shirts, and mosquito nets.       Companies that have also expressed their intentions to help Sendong victims include Cathay Pacific, Manila Water, and Nesic Phils.                                                                                                                                                           - Report by Mitch Confesor *** *** PBSP Intro      1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10      11      12      13      14