ΔΙΕΘΝΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΟΝΙΚΗ ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ ΠΟΙΚΙΛΗΣ ΥΛΗΣ - ΕΔΡΑ: ΑΘΗΝΑ

Ει βούλει καλώς ακούειν, μάθε καλώς λέγειν, μαθών δε καλώς λέγειν, πειρώ καλώς πράττειν, και ούτω καρπώση το καλώς ακούειν. (Επίκτητος)

(Αν θέλεις να σε επαινούν, μάθε πρώτα να λες καλά λόγια, και αφού μάθεις να λες καλά λόγια, να κάνεις καλές πράξεις, και τότε θα ακούς καλά λόγια για εσένα).

Σάββατο 30 Νοεμβρίου 2013

Eye witness report: PATA Foundation in the Philippines

Recently Mario Hardy, chairman of the PATA Foundation and Andrew Jones, PATA executive board member, set out in a road convoy for a medical mission with the MSY Foundation to the north of Cebu - read what they have experienced so far in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.
We encountered heavy traffic on the way and had a flat tire half way down and the journey that took nearly four hours. Our convoy was composed of several vehicles and trucks filled with care packages, food, water and medicine purchased with funds donated by the PATA Foundation and the MSY Foundation. 

Mario 

In Cebu and the outskirts of the city there were barely any signs of the disaster ahead. As we got closer to the affected areas, we started to see fallen trees, electrical poles hanging over the road by a thread and roofs completely ripped from the houses. About three hours drive from Cebu we started to sense the real force of the typhoon: houses completely flattened, brick walls fallen, schools, churches and clinics without any roofs and their walls caved in.  

Families along the side of the road had signs and were asking for help, mostly food and water. Hundreds of children were on the side of the road trying to get the attention of passing cars, hoping one would stop. 

MArio2

After hours of driving, we started to move all the care packages into the boats that would take us to Malapascua Island. Once there, we were met by the captain (or chief) of the village.

The island had about 10,000 residents and no medical clinics. The situation there is bad: houses, resorts and schools have been heavily damaged and many people were injured during the typhoon.

We set up our day camp in the town centre next to the church, which has been badly damaged. Within minutes of setting up, hundreds of people gathered and started to line up. They were seeking medical attention, water and food. The village captain was well organised and had a list of residents to ensure that everyone received the assistance in a fair manner. It was heartening to see people who had lost everything days before were still smiling and thankful. 

Mario3
This mission was one of many taken by the MSY Foundation in the past week in various parts of the north of Cebu. Several more are planned in the coming weeks. The scale of the help needed is almost beyond imagination. Basic help like this will be required for some time before rebuilding and long-term recovery starts. 

We would like to stress that this situation affects only certain parts of the Philippines. People who have holidays and business trips planned in the coming weeks to unaffected areas should carry on with their plans. 

You can help by continuing to donate generously to the PATA Foundation. All donations between now and December 25 will go towards the Foundation's Disaster Relief Fund for the Philippines.