TACLOBAN CITY- Five major civic organizations in Leyte have joined forces to deliver complementary missions to Yolanda victims.
Rotary Club (RC) of San Juanico, Rotary Club of Kankabato, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Tacloban, JCI Candahug and JCI Tanauan have all agreed to work together through a united fund drive for various projects in Yolanda affected areas.
The five civic organizations came up with a decision that whatever help that they could extend for the survivors of Yolanda, it would be a livelihood project.
Inspired by the move of Rotary and JCI, civic mover and “Haiyan (Yolanda) Chronicles,” local producer Jeff Manibay met with incoming Rotary International District governor Salvador Estudillo, former JCI Regional vice president Domingo Balintong, Jr. and JCI Tacloban president Cheryl Enrica Esperas to explore possibilities for a collaborative undertaking.
In a press conference, in a meeting held last April 12 at Catnetwork studios, Estudillo revealed Rotary Clubs San Juanico and Kankabato both agreed to look for donors to fund club projects in pre-identified areas of the region hit by Yolanda.
He believes Rotary’s vast experience in civic missions can contribute somehow in accelerating the recovery process.
“We have enough civic oriented members to make a difference. But the scale of destruction is so vast we can hardly make a dent. If we can find sources of funding other than ours I believe we can make a lot difference”, Estudillo said.
On the other hand, Esperas sees a need to utilize the youth and fuel their aspirations to contribute in the recovery process. She sees a lot of potential culled from years of experience and recent relief missions in the aftermath of superstorm Yolanda.
“We went as far as Guiuan, Eastern Samar to implement relief missions. Now that it’s done, our members are currently looking for ways to contribute in the recovery phase”, Esperas said.
Estudillo and Esperas both agree on the power of media while Manibay welcomed the need to incorporate civic initiatives into the documentary series.
“This is a good opportunity for us. From five clubs we found an extra hand in The Yolanda Chronicles who will carry our message,” Estudillo said.
Meanwhile Manibay informed that the Haiyan (Yolanda) Chronicles premieres worldwide on May 8, 2014 starting 10am Ph time, 7pm PST and 11PM EST in US & Canada exclusively on-line. (LIZBETH ANN ABELLA)
