TREK Relief Opps: Another Partnership with the AURORA Offroaders Club
November 08, 2012 VoluntourismIt was past noon when we reached Diagyan Elementary School in Dilasag, Aurora.
The green fields
and the blue sky didn't carry much traces
of the devastation this school endured from the twin typhoons Quiel and
Pedring. The school children were eagerly waiting for us in their classrooms.
It was a Saturday and they were there to receive the books and school supplies
we were donating.
Weeks before, TRails to Empower Kids co-founder Noel
invited us to the outreach program his other group, the Aurora Offroaders Club
were organizing to benefit Dilasag, Aurora.
Dilasag was one of the towns isolated by the typhoons.
After watching the struggles of
this town on the news, we immediately said yes and organized our friends to
coordinate this outreach program.
Inviting volunteers and
soliciting from sponsors were not as much of a challenge as reaching Dilasag.
Damaged roads and washed-out bridges almost blocked all flows of relief aid to
this area, but of course not for our partners, the Aurora Offroaders Club.
We have been friends and
partners with them for years now. They helped with some of our activities like our
outreach in San Luis, Aurora and our recon in Dinapigue, Isabela.
Off to Aurora
The members of the Aurora
Offroaders Club were already geared up when we arrived at around 4AM at our
meet-up place in Maria Aurora, Aurora, in front of Noel's house. We left Manila
around 11PM the night before. After redistributing passengers and loads, we
rolled out, eager and energized.
We traversed scenic
highways, rough roads, rivers and mountain paths to reach Aurora's northernmost
town. Along the way, we saw trampled rice fields, fallen trees and other traces
of wreckage left out by the typhoons.
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| A beautiful rainbow adorned the sky on our way to Dilasag |
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| 4x4 Action |
There were farmlands covered
with mud, electric posts knocked down, and trees uprooted. It was sad because it
didn't seem like they would be recovering soon.
Distributing Relief Goods
Dilasag is considered the
gateway of Philippine typhoons; a lot of them make landfall here.
The municipal and school
officers welcomed us upon our arrival. The sun was scorching hot when we
started unloading the boxes of donations. Immediately after that, the school
children lined up to receive their new notebooks, crayons, and other school supplies.
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| Our volunteers |
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| The students |
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| With their books and magazines |
We took a few photos and
boarded the 4x4s again to our next destination, Kasaysayan Elementary School.
Some of the other members of the Offroaders Club went to another site to
deliver the relief goods they packed.
Kasaysayan Elementary School
belongs to the cluster of Diagyan Elementary School. That means they have the
same school principal. Their students are mostly indigenous people, belonging
to the Agta cultural group.
After handing out some
donations and taking souvenir shots, we thanked our hosts and went to the
resort of the mayor of Dilasag at Canaware Beach, where we stayed that night
for our much-needed rest and much-awaited reunion with friends.
The following day we woke up
to very bad weather, so we had to leave earlier than planned to avoid being
stranded. We just squeezed in a tour at the grassland of Dilasag, then after
that, we were back on the national highway. The river crossings were a
challenge but we all made it back to Baler safe.
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| Mayor's gift |
Well, except for one member
of the Aurora Offroaders Club, Mr. Carlito Magyano, who met with an accident in
Dinalungan, Aurora, at midnight of October 31. Sir Sam went ahead of us because of
a promise he made to his wife and children.
We believe an angel like him
will be carried safely back home by the wings of the prayers of all the people
he helped in Dilasag, Aurora.
As for the rest of us, we
will continue with our mission of helping, despite the risks and the hardships.
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