"Adopt A Classroom" campaign for the remaining classrooms is needed

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*     Typhoon Pablo Hit My Town Of Compostela, Mindanao  

JESUS JESS DUREZA

We need to act fast because while "Pablo" destroyed lives and properties, we should not allow it to destroy our children's tomorrow.   

By Jesus Jess Dureza

 

One month after the typhoon, to the day, I visited today Baganga town with Sammy Afdal on board his Bell heli. Saw "Pablo's" devastation from the air.

So massive with a wide swath of wasteland left in its wake. It will take another generation to restore what was wiped out. People lining up for relief goods (Migs Zubiri happened to be there with his truck load of goodies) still looked dazed - but many still managed to banter and frolic: the indomitable and indestructible Filipino spirit.

We met with DPWH District Engr. Lito Caballero and his staff. While DEPED announced classes reopening yesterday, there was not too many who trekked back to school simply because their classrooms still need repair.

Announcements are good to buoy up the spirit but realities do not match. There are about 769 classrooms that do not have roofs for the 3 towns: Cateel, which is the most hit; Baganga and Boston. Badly needed are just roofing materials as stop gap, immediate measure. One classroom needs about 70 GI sheets and umbrella nails, costing about P16,000. The DPWH will do the repairing of destroyed rafters and trusses.

Sammy Afdal, who made his mark in mining, and who is into humanitarian work released today, upon landing back in Davao City P1.5 million to take care of about 95 to 100 classrooms. With his immediate response, we still need to take care of about 660 classrooms more Inspired by Sammy's immediate humanitarian response, I thought of launching an "Adopt A Classroom" campaign for the remaining 660 classrooms. Each "adopter/sponsor" will take care of the cost of one classroom worth P16,000.00 more or less. Of course adopting several classrooms is most welcome.

Sammy, together with the "Nanding Boys" of Archbishop Nanding Capalla will plan out how to assist in procuring the materials of donors while DPWH will take care of transporting to the sites and installing them.

We are still finalizing the mechanics of this. But we need to act fast because while "Pablo" destroyed lives and properties, we should not allow it to destroy our children's tomorrow.

Please post here your suggestions, comments and of course, your intentions of helping.

This is one of the school building destroyed by typhoon Pablo