Hundreds join shoot for a cause
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Gun enthusiasts and shooters in the Cordillera answered a call from a government official during the shoot for cause for the benefit of victims of the recent typhoon in the region particularly in Eastern Mountain Province.
Dubbed as the “1st Marie Rafael Cup Shoot for a Cause,” the two-day event was held sduring the weekend at the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PRO-Cor) Firing Range.
The activity is spearheaded by Assistant Secretary Marie Rafael of the Presidential Communications Operations Office with the support of PRO-Cor thru Regional Director Chief Supt. Rolando Nana and other gun enthusiasts from Mountain Province.
“This activity is a way to call for support and encourage more kind- hearted individuals to pour in for the recovery of the typhoon -affected areas in Mountain Province which is considered as one of the badly hit by typhoon Rosita,” said Rafael, a former mayor of Natonin, Mountain Province.
Banaag added the donations from the cause in aid specifically to provide the basic necessities in the affected communities of Barlig and Natonin including other Sitios of Paracelis.
“When the typhoon hit the town, many of the Cordillerans have reached out to help,” said the Malacanang official who afterwards led and participated in the shoot fest together with the PRO - COR regional director Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana and Mt. Province Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr.
Nana said the fees collected from personnel of the Philippine National Police who partake in the shoot fest will go directly as donations and at the same time the activity will aid in the skills development of the police.
“Makakatulong ito sa skills development and marerefresh sila sa kanilang proficiency sa gun handling and firing sa accuracy sa target,” Nana added.
It could be remembered a massive landslide hit the buildings of the DPWH Mountain Province Second Engineering District at Sitio Ha’rang, Barangay Banawel in Natonin where several laborers and residents took shelter at around 4p.m. on
October 30, 2018 during the height of typhoon Rosita.
At least 30 individuals were reported as casualties in the incident with 24 recovered bodies with two unidentified and six others still missing.
Around 1,000 responders and rescuers from the different government and law enforcement agencies, private groups and organizations as well as other volunteers from nearby Region 1, 2, 3 and other areas came to help in the search, rescue and retrieval operations in Natonin for weeks.
Aside from the DPWH building, hundreds of infrastructures including residential houses, roads, bridges and other structures in the municipalities of Barlig, Natonin and Paracelis were also damaged by the typhoon.
A day after the incident in Barangay Banawel, Rafael together with staff of the Philippine Information Agency and Philippine News Agency - Cordillera offices and members of the Mountain Province Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Office walked for more than four hours, passing through dozens of landslides from Paracelis to Natonin to personally look into the effects of typhoon Rosita in the municipality.
Rafael immediately reported the situation to the Palace including Cabinet members giving them a clearer picture on the ground especially since the area had problems on communication and power. This also paved the way for more support and faster response from the national government, nearby provinces and the private sector.
The shoot for a cause is hosted by the Metro Baguio Practical Shooters Association, the Shilan Shooters Association and the PROCor.