Story & Photos By Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga
Around 30 families whose houses were severely damaged after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Odette (International Name: Rai) received galvanized roofing from ARCORES International a day before Christmas. The beneficiaries are from Barangay Rizal, where the adopted schools of Colegio de Sto. Tomas-Recoletos are situated, and from Barangay V, the convent’s neighboring barangay. Rev. Fr. Vicente Ramon, Jr., OAR, director of CST-R Community Extension and Development Office (CEDO) led the distribution at the school campus.
One of the beneficiaries from Barangay V, Matilde Pasuelan, said that an old mangrove tree was uprooted by the typhoon’s raging winds and fell on her house totally destroying it.
Barangay Rizal staff Rachel Navarro mentioned that the 12 beneficiaries from her barangay were also victims of the January 2021 flashflood that hit San Carlos City due to heavy monsoon rains. Their riverside houses were swept away by the flood. Last December 16, when typhoon Odette made landfall, their temporary shelters were also wrecked by the strong wind it brought, that was estimated at a speed of 175 km/h when it passed by the Cebu-Negros area. Each beneficiary took home four sheets of galvanized roofing. Each also sent their gratitude for the help of ARCORES International which was coordinated through ARCORES Filipinas Director Fray Jaazeal Jakosalem, OAR.
