Culasi, Antique; July 4, 2014: Team OnGround sets foot back to Brgy Lipata, Culasi, Antique, 7 months after the wrath of typhoon Yolanda.
Indiana
Much has changed in Culasi, Antique after the strongest typhoon, Yolanda, hit the Philippines. The Culasenios are building back the community by sharing the relief from different institutions of government and from the private sector who all gave them something to preserve human reliability and productivity – the gift of livelihood.
Team OnGround Inc., represented by Mr. Rod Vejerano (President and CEO) and Dr. Elinor Roquel (Executive Liaison Officer), made a courtesy visit to Honorable Mayor Joel Lomugdang of Culasi, Antique. During the said meeting, they officially endorsed 10 bancas to the municipality, with five (5) beneficiaries from Brgy. Lipata and another five (5) assigned by the Bureau of Fisheries in Culasi.
The turn-over ceremony began with the blessing of “bancas” and Team OnGround personally meeting the ten (10) recipients at the shore of Brgy. Lipata.
Team OnGround representatives were met with warm embraces and hopeful smiles intent on rebuilding what was lost in the typhoon. It is surely rewarding to feel that the help extended is more than life itself when people talk about realities after the typhoon.
Team OnGround’s core value of “May Malasakit” was strongly felt by the Culasenios as they promised to also help others in need. The value of receiving the bancas made them realize that charity is returned when the receivers become givers themselves. This is the promise of the beneficiaries to Team OnGround – to replicate the sharing of blessings.
Motivational speaker and author Earl Nightingle’s once said; “Your problem is to bridge the gap which exists between where you are now and the goal you intend to reach.” is one of the core values that Team OnGround believes in.
Team OnGround also visited the temporary bridge built from the cash donation handed over to Barangay Chairman Tony Arma during the thanksgiving party held last December 15, 2013. They were able to build two bridges that served as the community’s only access to school, the market, work place and home. The entire barangay, which used to be isolated in that area, is now safe to traverse the estuarine that separates them from the community. Boatmen and guest donors also pass safely by the same bridge to visit and extend help to the community in Culasi.
These simple bamboo-built bridges bring in not just help, but also hope, to the community.
Our donations touched more lives and hearts than we can ever imagine. Seven months ago, Team OnGround boldly acted upon the unique call of time. We wanted to help rebuild broken lives and spirits. We have gained a lot from this experience. We will forever be grateful for the opportunity to have met the Culasenios in Antique. We will treasure the friendship and we will value the hopes of new life.