CHI distributes Ayala life bags in Kinatarcan
Learning session designed to help island folks to be disaster-ready
EMPLOYEE-volunteers of Ayala ledCebu Holdings Inc. (CHI), in partnership with the Sto. Nino de Cebu Augustinian Social Development Foundation (SNAF) and Asia Pro Cooperative, distributed emergency life bags and school supplies to residents of Kinatarcan Island, Daanbantayan last May 21.
Kinatarcan Island is located 45 minutes off the coast of Daanbantayan in Northern Cebu. It is one of the mission territories of SNAF. Ninety-five percent of the structures in the island was destroyed during typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
CHI volunteers, with the help of Fr. Tito D. Soquiño of SNAF and Asia Pro, partnered with three barangays in Kinatarcan to reach out to 200 families and 150 students. The learning session was designed to help equip them on disaster readiness, which is useful in times of calamity.
The residents, among them were fisherfolk, were taught on basic rescuing skills, fire building, basic hand signals and basic knot tying.
“We want to support the Kinatarcan Island Development Plan. We are also here to promote disaster readiness among the fisherfolk and residents in the island, especially since they were badly hit by typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) two years ago,” said Vera Alejandria, CHI’s corporate social responsibility and sustainability manager.
Two hundred Ayala life bags from Ayala Center Cebu were distributed to the families as starter kits, each bag containing water, whistle, flashlight, swiss knife and a rope. The life bag is also waterproof and buoyant on water, which can also be used as a life saving tool during emergencies.
Some 150 students in the island also benefitted from the school supplies distributed.
Each set contained notebooks, pencils, sharpener and a plastic envelope.
CHI, through AsiaPro, also oriented young men who are potential skilled workers for employment opportunities in construction projects in the city.
This volunteer activity is one of CHI’s community engagements for the year, also giving its employees an opportunity to reach out and help neighboring communities in Cebu by driving positive change.