TACLOBAN CITY–Seven months after supertyphoon “Yolanda” slammed the region, at least 100 young people in Tacloban City joined in a dance music video that was launched on June 8, urging government leaders to look on their condition. Dubbed as “Rise up to the top”, the music video, uploaded in the popular video-sharing site You Tube, aims to bring the message to the world that children and the youth in the devastated communities need attention and support. “This is our way of expressing ourselves that despite the tragedy, we haven’t lost hope and that we can still rise above the situation. Dancing is also a form of therapy for us,” said Ervie Nicolas, senior leader of Tacloban’s popular dance group Zero Gravity and co-producer of the music video. “The reason we are coming up with this video is to tell the world that the young victims of the typhoon still need help. We feel that they are not a priority in the recovery efforts of the government,” he said. Archie Omega, Tacloban’s top photographer and videographer at Pixel 8, said the music video is also a form of an advocacy campaign from the youth in the city. Supertyphoon Yolanda devastated Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013, killing more than 6,000 people and displacing 4 million others based on report of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council. (RONALD O.REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) together with the Prison Fellowship International Philippine (PFIP) inaugurated the “Bread of Hope Bakery,” a project that could provide livelihood income for inmates at the Tacloban City Jail (TCJ) on June 3. Silvestre Alforque, PFIP president, said that this is the first time a project like this was implemented in the region. “This will not only help our inmates in the holistic approach on rehabilitation but including their families,” said Alforque. He said that the undertaking will be of big help to the inmates once they are released from the jail facility considering that they are now equipped with skills which they could use to earn income. Alforque said that they could see the project will become self-sustaining in three months after its launching. The Swiss Solidarity funds the project. Alforque added that they want to provide dignity to the inmates by teaching them skills on livelihood training instead of giving them dole- outs. Vice Mayor Jerry “Sambo” Yaokasin, who was among those who witnessed the opening and the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the BJMP and PFIP, the Bread of Hope Bakery would not only provide food for the inmates but also provide them the bread of God’s grace. “I hope that in this therapeutic community you will find hope and the real bread of life who is Jesus Christ,” Yaokasin said. Jail Superintendent Elmer Riel, assistant regional director for administration of BJMP, said that he project fulfilled his dream when he was still the warden of the jail facility. “I support this project when this was presented to me but there were problems that hampered for its implementation that included the physical structure of the jail; the emotional well-being of the inmates and looking for fund for the project,” Riel explained. “I did not expect for this to materialize. I am very thankful to the PFPI for helping the jail management to look for funding for this project,” he added. He urged the inmates to support the TCJ officials to ensure the success of the project (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

District Engineer Virgilio Eduarte of the Samar First District Engineering Office (SFDEO) located at Brgy. San Policarpo, Calbayog City spearheads the tree planting activity on May 3, 2014. This activity is in line with the greening plan of the District Office.
There are more or less thirty (30) fruit bearing trees of different varieties were planted within the vicinity of the District Office like coconut trees, mango trees, caimito trees, avocado trees and more. SFDEO personnel are very hopeful that all those trees will live and will bear fruits after a year or two.
The tree planting activity is undertaken not only for the beautification of the office but also in adherence with the environmental campaign of various government agencies against global warming by providing a clean and green environment. This drive is one which the present administration strongly gives emphasis to fight against the disasters, calamities, and destructions that our country had experienced for the past decade including the wrath of super typhoon Yolanda which ravaged Tacloban City and other towns in Samar.
(By: Leviresa Getigan-Barnizo)

As part of its continuing programs for the recovery and rehabilitation of Yolanda-stricken communities, the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) is introducing the Butterfly House Project to 50 pilot beneficiaries in a resettlement site in Barangay Bagacay, Tacloban City.  Developed by Filipino – American businessman Rogelio Santos, Jr. in the aftermath of last year*s super typhoon, the Butterfly House Project features a compact and steel-framed housing facility which can be unfolded into an immediately liveable housing structure. These “butterfly houses” are engineered for portability and can be built in minutes even by non-skilled constructors. Designed to be more sustainable alternatives to tents and bunkhouses, these are also equipped with solar panels and built-in LED lights which can support up to 18 hours of basic lighting. Units may also come with the option of added bathroom spaces. “We have carefully crafted these houses to ensure quality living conditions in resettlement areas and provide residents with safe, secure and durable homes while they transition to permanent housing,” explains Santos. According to PDRF President Butch Meily, this will help address the immediate need to get people out of tents and transfer them into better housing facilities. “The Butterfly House Project is an innovative way to make this happen,” he says. PDRF is the world’s only permanent private sector disaster response organization. For more information on how to support its ongoing recovery programs for disaster-stricken communities, visit www.pdrf.org. (PR)