Providing northern Cebu residents ravaged by supertyphoon Yolanda with roofs in time for the Christmas season was an astute move on the part of Gawad Kalinga and its partners in Islands Souvenirs and the LH Foundation.
Someone needed to anticipate the survivors’ need for shelter amid the overwhelming instinct to supply them with more immediate needs like food and clothing.
Good thing that private groups willing to work with communities and with local governments led the way.
Repaired roofs at the very least gave survivors protected space to gather their families and figure out how to move forward.
This made a bittersweet Christmas a joyful experience for those who sorely needed to look forward to a better tomorrow.
We can only imagine how many families are whispering prayers of thanksgiving for the generosity of strangers, especially with wet cold weather now upon us.
As we celebrate the successful delivery of at least 5,000 GI sheets to our brothers and sisters in northern Cebu, we can only sigh and ponder over more difficult conditions for other Yolanda victims in the city and in Eastern Visayas.
Suffering continues amid reports that bunkhouses in Eastern Visayas built for survivors are likely overpriced and substandard.
Suffering also takes the form of Visayas survivors with no adequate protection against the monsoon rains.
Back in Cebu City, can the Philippine National Red Cross and the Cebu city government help survivors left in the Tent City at the South Road Properties?
Mud and water seeps into their temporary abodes.
The bayanihan spirit that helped northern Cebuano get back on their feet in Roof for Relief should feed the conviction of other private citizens that impossible conditions can be overcome, if enough men and women of good will get together, roll up their sleeves and help surivivors help themselves.
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