THE Operation Center of La Trinidad was activated even before Typhoon Ompong hits the Philippine Area of Responsibility. I joined the first team of the information cluster in running the center together with the logistics, camp management and evacuation, finance, planning and other clusters.
During the onslaught of Ompong, thousands of texts and calls flooded the contact numbers of the municipality calling for evacuation, tree cutting, rescue and some for their area assessment. The La Trinidad Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council tried its best to achieve zero casualty.
However, on the 15th, three individuals were reported dead due to the collapsing of a retaining wall beside their residence. The accident happened while the victims were cleaning the area near the riprap.
After the wrath of Typhoon Ompong, I personally saw and heard the different heroic stories of cooperatives. The co-ops practiced their concern for the community principle. A lot of the small, medium and large co-ops extended their help in giving donations to typhoon victims and volunteer search and rescue teams.
Co-ops targeted the stricken areas of Itogon, Kabayan and Bakun. Some went directly to the site while others turned it over to groups consolidating assistances for relief operations. Meanwhile, La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post MPC and Barangay Alapang MPC dropped their donations at the La Trinidad Co-op Development Office. The contributions mainly come from the three percent Cooperative Development Fund. This fund is being utilized for the development of the community.
Coop Development Authority Regional Director, Atty. Franco Bawang Jr., shared in one of our gatherings that one co-op even organized a Search and Rescue Team to volunteer in time of calamities. These noble acts of co-ops should be sustained to realize their important role in the society as partners for change.
During the discussion on Basic Disaster Management for co-ops sometime in the second quarter of this year, it was suggested that all co-ops should consider the offering of interest-free emergency loan assistance to disaster victims. Although some coops are already practicing it especially those that belong to the large category. This program of the co-op will certainly help victims to recover from adversities.
It is also inspiring to read the story of volunteers who rode a taxi going to the distressed site and the taxi driver offered free fare saying that it is the only way he can help in the operations. The good thing is that it did not only happen once but twice. Another group also donated sets of momma, it may be unusual but it got a good feedback from recipients considering that it is already a part of the culture to some.
I offer my deepest condolences to the victims of the typhoon. I am optimistic that the region will still stand strong after this monstrous tragedy.