You can make a difference

THE impact of the shear line, leading to heavy rains, flooding, and landslides, has been deemed “unprecedented” by the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-Davao Region, affecting over 600,000 individuals.

OCD-Davao Regional Director Ednar Dayanghirang noted that the disaster marked the first time the region faced such magnitude, with numerous families displaced, properties and infrastructure damaged, and lives lost. We express our deepest sympathies to the bereaved families.

As of January 21, 2024, OCD-Davao Region reported among the 606,483 affected individuals, 92,652 were from Davao de Oro, 349,589 were from Davao del Norte, 5,560 from Davao Occidental, 149,811 from Davao Oriental, 98 from Davao del Sur, and 8,773 from Davao City.

Agriculture suffered an estimated P50 million in damages, while infrastructure incurred P25 million.

At least 37 roads and 14 bridges in the region remain impassable.

Various government agencies have promptly provided aid, including medicines, food packs, family and hygiene kits, tents, sleeping kits, and vaccines, among other necessities.

The House of Representatives facilitated the release of P35 million in assistance to the Davao region’s disaster victims.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte not only extended help but also visited and consoled the families of those who perished in the landslides.

While awaiting the Davao City government’s response in providing its customary relief assistance to calamity-affected areas in the country, as Dabawenyos, we need not wait for our local authorities to reach out to our unfortunate brothers and sisters in the region.

In our small ways, we can contribute by encouraging our families, friends, and colleagues to initiate a relief drive or gather pre-loved yet usable clothes and household items for the flood victims.

Displaced students would also benefit from school supplies; perhaps, consider redirecting money for indulgences like milk tea to purchase notebooks and pencils, and encourage classmates to do the same.

Establishments can become drop-off centers for relief goods.

You can make a difference, regardless of the scale, within your capabilities, to help.

In these trying times, let’s not merely be spectators; let’s become beacons of hope for those who are suffering and lights for those who may be groping in the darkness of their circumstances.