Leyte Landslide

NEW GUINSAUGON, St. Bernard, Southern Leyte—Exactly a year since the landslide that buried the Guinsaugon village in St. Bernard, donations still come in, this time in the form of livelihood projects and infrastructure.

Different organizations, such as the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the Hawaii-based Congress of Visayan Organization (Covo), have given donations that would enable the survivors of the landslide to start their own business.

Under its Southern Leyte Rehabilitation Program, the PBSP launched last Friday its livelihood and basic services projects for the survivors of the landslide.

In a message, PBSP deputy executive director Ramon Derige said the projects would help the survivors start anew with their lives.

Southern Leyte provincial administrator Genis Murallos, who represented Gov. Rosette Lerias, said the provincial government was very grateful for PBSP projects because “we have yet to put in place the livelihood component of the rehabilitation efforts for the survivors.”

PBSP project officer Rimmon Bandalan said the livelihood component of the project includes a P6-million marine farming project at Cabalian Bay, just 500 meters from the New Guinsaugon village; a livelihood and productivity center for the making of hollow blocks; a virgin coconut oil production project; and the construction of a high school building.

Bandalan said the PBSP also distributed certificates of scholarships from the Children’s Hour, through its representative Margarita Hopkins, a Maasin native now living in Hawaii.

He said several companies have contributed to the PBSP as part of the companies’ corporate social responsibilities. Some of these corporations are Shell Phils, A. King Foundation, Central Azucarera de Don Pedro, Citibank, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, Cemex Corp. and Wellmade Corp., Bandalan said.

Earlier, Covo, through its president, Hopkins, also donated $11,600 for scholarships and the purchase of chemical analyzer for the New Guinsaugon health center.

Aside from $11,600, Covo gave another $5,000 to Sr. Rosario Aya-ay of Cristo Rey Regional High School, which is in St. Bernard town proper, to start a micro lending facility.