HRP Conducts Relief Operations for Flooded Communities in Botolan

 

Heeding the appeals for relief assistance made by Diocese of Iba Bishop Florentino Lavarias for Botolan folks, the Holy Rosary Parish (HRP) in Angeles City started a relief drive last August 14, 2009. Typhoons “Kiko and Labuyo” caused massive flooding in Botolan, displacing thousands and causing immense damage to properties.

Seeing the urgency of the need, Bp. Pablo S. David, D.D. appealed for donations in cash or kind. It did not take long for the parishioners of HRP to respond by delivering their cash and check donations as well as various goods including rice, canned goods, noodles, used clothes, etc to the HRP-Social Action Center (HRP-SAC) office . A total of P 129,700.00 in cash was remitted to the Diocese of Iba, along with three truckloads of assorted stuff delivered in three batches (Pls. see attached report).

HRP-SAC volunteers Fely Salita, Lourdes Sanga, Olive Dizon and Joel Ocampo personally delivered the first batch of goods on August 15, 2009, traveling all the way from Angeles to Botolan via the Tarlac-Pangasinan route. The trip took all of eight hours (one-way) since the Botolan highway had become a virtual river with rampaging floodwater flowing through it. Bridges and roads had become impassable because of the flood.

Rev. Frs. Ian Maniago and Kenneth Mason warmly welcomed the group upon its arrival in Sta. Monica Parish, Botolan, Zambales. Prior to this, the HRP-SAC volunteers paid a courtesy call on Iba Bishop Florentino Lavarias, a native of Mabalacat, Pampanga who was a member of the Pampanga clergy before he was ordained bishop and assigned in Zambales.

An ocular survey of the group on the affected areas revealed massive damage to properties including houses, schools, agricultural lands and business establishments. Brgy. San Juan was among the worst affected along with Barangays Carael, Paco and Bangan.

The disaster experience of Botolan folks was likened to the experience of Kapampangans after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991. Floods and lahar took a heavy toll on the economy and changed the landscape of Pampanga. It has, since, become a mission among Kapampangans to give back and help other communities back to their feet after a debilitating disaster. The generous and timely response of the parishioners of Holy Rosary Parish to the Botolan disaster was part of that mission. (Olive Dizon)