Strengthening ties by helping out
Junnette Pujida (left) and Jeff Garcia (in red shirt) help distribute relief goods to residents of barangay Langtad in Sagbayan, Bohol.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Helping in relief operations for earthquake victims in Bohol gave meaning to Junnette Pujida’s relationship with his boyfriend, Jeff Garcia.
Pujida, 24, and Garcia, 31, of barangay Sambag I, Cebu City led the Cebu International Port Users (CIPU) Basketball Club in collecting relief goods for distribution to barangay Langtad in Sagbayan town, Bohol.
“It was a heartbreaking experience seeing other families who lost their homes. But, on the other hand, I felt happy for the second life given by God to them,” Pujida said.
She said she was at home when the earthquake struck at 8:12 a.m. on Oct. 15, 2013.
“The major shaking of the ground woke me up. I ran out of the house carrying my two dogs and mobile phones. My mother was the first one who went outside,” she said.
Beneficiaries
After collecting her wits and realizing how bad was the situation in Bohol, Pujida volunteered in the relief operations launched by the Chamber of Customs Brokers Inc. (CCBI) and the Boluntaryo sa Aduana.
“Since I am a member of both groups, I decided to volunteer,” Pujida said.
For three hours, she helped pack relief goods at the Martinez Customs Brokerage office in Mandaue City. The goods were for the quake-stricken communities in barangays Lawis and Anonang in Inabanga town and barangay Dait Norte in Buenavista town, both in Bohol.
“I could not remember the specific total number of beneficiaries, but we surely helped thousands of families,” Pujida said.
Organized
Upon her return home, Pujida decided to call Garcia and their three friends at CIPU, they also started collecting and packing bottles of water, rice, matches, candles, canned food, tarpaulin sheets, sleeping mats, instant noodles, and candies for the quake victims.
The CIPU raised money to buy the goods.
“It was organized and the people were cooperating,” Pujida said.
Pujida and Garcia are in a relationship since four years ago and both are employed at the Hisoler Customs Brokerage firm in Cebu City.
After the Oct. 13 earthquake last year, Pujida said she and Garcia acknowledged that in trying times, they must have faith and trust in God.
“With God’s help and love, we can always stand after we fall,” she added.
Memorable
Another volunteer was 18-year-old Dale D. Manatad. He said experiencing floods at home with his family in barangay Basak, Mandaue City moved him to help calamity victims.
Since he and his friends could not afford to donate financially, they helped out by spending their Saturdays in the relief operations at the Cebu Provincial Capitol.
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