Metro Infanta Foundation, Inc.

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Project Report: Status of the Implementation of the Relief and Rehabilitation Funds for the Typhoon Disaster Victims in the Prelature of Infanta

by Deacon Mario Van Loon

Editor's Note: As a Project Agency, Metro Infanta Foundation received a voluminous report on the status of the implementation of the relief and Rehabilitation Funds for the typhoon disaster victims in the Prelature of Infanta from the Social Action Center. Because of the length of the report we will give only a series of brief summaries that would be of interest to our donors who gave a total of $30,000 funds already distributed for the emergency relief, and another $20,000 still being raised for the rehabilitation of Mt. Carmel School of Infanta.

The unprecedented natural calamity to hit the Prelature of Infanta has highlighted the new role of the Church during humanitarian crisis. Geographically, the area is one of the most vulnerable and susceptible to disaster due to its location: a long strip of abused forested uplands of Sierra Madre and coastal communities along the restless Pacific Ocean.

When strong tropical storms late last years struck the country, several towns of the Prelature were seriously hit including Real, Infanta and General Nakar, Quezon (or the RIN area), and Dingalan (Aurora province). heavy rains induced the mountain soil erosion, landslides, overflowing of river systems that caused sudden flash floods, mud flows, uprooting of trees and drifting of logs and uprooted trees. These wrought havoc to all communities in the lowland portions of the area also on densely populated places.

The approximate estimate to affected people in the affected areas in the Philippines is close to three million (3,000,000) and billions of pesos worth of properties has been destroyed. The primary cause of this environmental nightmare could be attributed to rampant legal and illegal logging and tolerated deforestation of this critical mountain range in the country. The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), the country's lead agency for natural calamity, in its official report stated that:

The Social Action Center roughly estimates that more than 250,000 food packages were provided to the affected victims in the prelature, with 200,000 packages going to Dingalan, Infanta, Real and general Nakar. The rest went to Sand Luis, Baler, Maria Aurora and Casiguran, also in Aurora province. The tribal brothers and sisters were given special attention as most of the wretched victims in the prelature. They were given relief goods twice the normal per capita of its amount. The worth of the food packages distributed so far was amounting to forty five million pesos (P45,000,000). On the other hand, donated brand new and used clothing and set of bedding and household items were distributed to the intended beneficiaries as these home articles were lost when their houses were partically or totally destroyed. The combined value of these items surpasses the five million pesos (P5,000,000) mark.

The SAC Rehabilitation initiatives concentrates first in assisting the poor victims to get back their homes to lessen not only their sufferings but also their anxieties about their future. This program provides Previsionary Shelter at a cost of P10,000 per shelter for construction materials. The first phase of the program built 500 temporary housing (P5,000,000), with the latest figures approaching the 3,000 mark. SAC reports that 4,000 provisional homes are needed!

Next report: Livelihood projects.

Dear Editor of Metro Infanta,

I am Ed Limtingco and now based in Cebu City. I am related [first degree] to Mr. Bienvenido "Tata Bembe" Peñamante and have spent a lot of my teenage years in Infanta, Quezon and in Pollilo Island.

Anyway, I am writing to you because I am looking for a "long lost" cousin of mine by the name of Rocky Peñamante. The last time I heard he is somewhere in Butuan City, Mindanao, Philippines.

At any rate, I would like also to inform you that here in Cebu, we have also initiated and registered an association called "Quezonians in Cebu." So if ever there are Quezonians out there that will visit Cebu City and would like to be introduced to their "kababayans" , they can contact me and be my guest. My contact address and nos are below herewith.

Again, more power to your endeavor. I remain.

Lahug, Cebu City, Philippines

Collected to date: $2,239.63. We are doing very well with this Matching Grant, thanks to our latest donor Romy Coronacion who donated the fees of $1,027.30 he would have received for his professional services rendered to Alvarez Educational Foundation. Romy is allocating his donation towards two full scholarships at Mt. Carmel High School. And to Fidel Barcena who sent UK50 pounds ($87.33 after conversion). Fidel's donation is designated for the Disaster Relief Fund.

Posted Aug. 4, 2005

Congratulations! to Infanta's MLQ Awardees

As we celebrate the 127th birth anniversary of President Manuel L. Quezon this month (19th August 2005), we commemorate his birthday as well as his qualities and virtues by bestowing the Quezon Medalya ng Karangalan Award to persons in Quezon province who have outstanding achievement in special field of endeavor contributing to the promotion of the interest and welfare of the people. The fields of endeavor could be in law, medicine, diplomacy, education, military service, community service, public service, religious leadership, agriculture, arts and letters, etc.

Among the awardees this year (posthumous) is Dr. Amando A. Gurango of Infanta, Quezon in the field of Military Medical Service. The other awardees this year from Infanta, Quezon are Ms. Rita J. Ramirez in the field of Education and Rev. Fr. Charlito C. Colendres in the field of Spiritual Shepherding (Posthumous). Last year (2004), the awardee from Infanta, Quezon, was Ms. Mila Garcia Glodava in the field of Community Service. And previous to that year (in 2003), the awardee from our hometown was Atty. Jose Mario "Jojo" C. Buñag in the field of law practice. Incidentally, Atty. Buñag was recently promoted by the Philippine President to BIR Commissioner.

So far, since the institution of the Quezon Award in 1970, there are now eleven awardees from Infanta, Quezon, as follows:

While there is every reason to rejoice because a number of our personalities (kababayans) from Infanta, Quezón has been honored and bestowed the Quezón Medalya ng Karangalan Award, nobody yet from Infanta, Quezón has been nominated and awarded for Life Achievement Award (Gintong Medalya).

The following are the requirements for the Life Achievement Award:

A person from Quezon province may be nominated by 1) an individual with endorsement of a social, civic, religious, government, non-government or people´s org., or group; and 2) by a social, civic, religious, government, non-government, or people´s org., or group.

The Metro Infanta Foundation as a civic organization or group is qualified to make the nomination mentioned above. It is hoped that in the near future somebody from Infanta, Quezon, would merit and deserve such Life Achievement Award (Gintong Medalya).

Needless to state here, the Metro Infanta Foundation could also nominate an individual from Quezon province for the Quezon Medalya ng Karangalan. In said award, so far, we have already nine awardees from Infanta, Quezon. We should nominate more individuals from Infanta, Quezon. Also from Real and General Nakar, Quezon.

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