The Titan’s Initiative to Extend a Helping Hand To Typhoon Victims
For years, the citizens of the Philippines have branded themselves with the term resilient — capable of recovering easily from misfortune or change. We are a nation constantly struggling against the aftermath of the seasonal typhoons that seem to worsen with each passing year. These battles have become frequent enough for the nation to become accustomed to nature’s seemingly never-ending onslaught. On November 11th and 12th, we faced the most damaging one yet this year. Following the devastation of Typhoon Rolly on the 1st of November, 2020, Typhoon Ulysses roughly crossed the same direction and made landfall. In eight countries, both Rolly and Ulysses left trails of almost irrevocable damage and impacted millions of people, hundreds of thousands of whom remain displaced, leaving yet another scar to heal.
When one looks at pictures of the destruction caused by Super Typhoon Ulysses, the enormity of the restoration work required to make the affected cities and towns habitable again seems insurmountable and calls for immediate response. As the number of natural calamities increase and continue to devastate the Philippines, so do the number of Filipinos requiring assistance and seeking refuge from their now inhabitable homes. As of November 16, 2020, reports state that at least 67 people have died due to the aftermath of the aforesaid tropical cyclone. Although these tropical cyclones are more recurrent over the years, we always manage to rise back up because we Filipinos are not only resilient but charitable as well. Regardless of the obstacles and limitations our current predicament poses, the students of Enderun have proven that this will not hinder them from becoming instigators of community involvement to extend a helping hand.
Many students have taken the initiative to reach out and answer their call to serve. Some have started their own independent monetary donation drives, and others teamed up with their organizations to reach out to those in need. 18-year old Ashley Perez, a BS Entrepreneurship student, is an example of this. To satisfy the urge to do something besides retweeting and posting on her social media platforms, Ashley and her friends started small. Ashley shares that, “It all started with a simple plan of fundraising money within our group of friends to buy a sack of rice to donate since my family runs a rice business.” But this idea soon turned into something bigger “My mom suggested expanding our small pitch by adding essential items. Since then, eight of my friends got on board, and we started this whole donation drive.”
Ashley and her friends were able to raise an estimated amount of Php 54,000.00. The proceeds have been donated to Barangay Tumana in Marikina and Josefheim foundation. They were able to help a mother and her newborn who were heavily devastated by the typhoon. After hosting her first charity project, Ashley reminds others of the impact they can make even at home. “We are far more capable than we think we are. We are not limited (even in the comfort of our own home). Never forget that we are boundless — in power, talent, and speech.”
Another student who answered the call to service is Martin Euzsebio, head of Step Up, a growing charity organization in Enderun. He shares that, “If we have the resources and capabilities, we will always send help wherever these communities are.” Such communities are those affected by Typhoon Rolly and Ulysses. It started in Barangay UP Campus. . . Josh (another fellow member) and I went there and saw how grave the situation actually was. Seeing that we could extend our help to more than just the UP community, we decided to send aid to Isabela, Marikina, and now we’re also extending our efforts to Cagayan.” As of writing, they have raised Php 65,000.00 and will be using these funds for groceries and other necessities, which will be delivered in three batches every Sunday, starting November 22, 2020. In addition to their monetary drive, they are also accepting in-kind donations, prioritizing food, construction materials, and toiletries. Those who wish to join this initiative may contact them through their official Facebook page or on Instagram.
Through these efforts, Martin hopes that this encourages the rest of the Enderun community to take the initiative to show their appreciation towards the greater good and instill the value of giving.
