TYPHOON YOLANDA UPDATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2014
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EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES
TYPHOON YOLANDA UPDATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2014
by Rev. Prisco Allocod, EFCP President
Greetings to our partners in the rehabilitation of the Typhoon Yolanda victims.
Praise be to our Lord for making us channels of His blessings to the victims of the calamity.
This update has taken a long time to be released due to massive rehabilitation efforts and
strategic planning for community development for the past several weeks. After the relief
operation, our focused shifted to the rehabilitation for the building and repairs of houses.
Coconut lumber and chain saws:
Coconut lumber is used here as building material. We purchased seven chain saws and rented
another one to make lumber out of the coconut trees. The chain saws were stationed in six
towns, with the following procedure:
1. We hire an operator and pay his daily wage and meals, as well as the gasoline, oil, etc.
2. Each family will receive the lumber from a maximum of two coconut trees.
3. The family members will assist the operators.
4. A pastor or lay person is assigned to coordinate in each community.
Other housing helps:
Aside from the coconut lumber, we also purchased other materials, such as: plywood, galvanized
iron, nails, etc. The arrangement is as follows:
1. We don't give cash; rather, the coordinator accompanies the recipient to buy the items at the
hardware and help deliver the materials.
2. A maximum ceiling is set per family; and the totally-damaged would receive more than the
partially-damaged.
3. Church members would receive more help than the non-members.
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Delivering other materials for housing needs
Silverio and the two children:
In previous update, I mentioned about Silverio who saved two children during the Typhoon. The
picture below on the left are the two children that he saved. He just picked them from nowhere
on his way to a higher place. The children were separated from their parents due to strong wind
and storm surge. The picture below on the right is the iron bar that he held on with sea water up
to his neck as he stood on a concrete wall. The elder boy was holding on his back while he held
the younger girl with his one hand and the other hand holding the iron bar. Silverio was also the
first to visit Ptr Sam Aberia in Eastern Samar after the Typhoon using a motorbike, which was a
long and dangerous trip at that time from Tanauan, Leyte.
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Electric generator:
A generator was purchased in Cebu City and brought to Hernani, Eastern Samar, which provided
street lights to two barangays (villages) in the town proper. The picture on the right above shows
the village officials and their men who installed the wirings and the bulbs. We also provided the
diesel fuel to run the generator for the first few nights. Brother Kurt Saban of EFC Canada
initiated and directed the project.
Medical services in Hernani, Samar with the Humedica of Germany through Allianz Mission
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Demonstrating how to install a water filter Delivering more chain saws
Pastor Sam Aberia's house was unbelievably spared
Pstor Sam is our EFC pastor in Eastern Samar. His house was unbelievably spared from damage
the fact that almost everything in Hernani town was destroyed, and nearly a hundred people died.
His house becomes the center of operation for relief and rehab. And there is a house-church that
also meets there for worship on Sundays.
A dead tree at Ptr Sam's house became a Ptr Sam Aberia
Christmas tree a month after the Typhoon
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A seminar in Cebu City and in Samar on crisis response and ministering to the victims of
calamity by Reach Global
Helping people for their livelihood by assisting to build and repair a fishing boat
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Pictures of some devastated areas
"This is a devastation unlike anything that I have ever seen at this scale. It really is quite
stunning. It looks like a war zone in every respect and for a lot of people it is. You have to see
this to really believe it, and to feel it and understand it."
John Kerry, US Secretary of State, on his visit to Tacloban City in December 2013
Areas for Housing Helps: For the past two months, we were able to extend housing helps to a
great number of families in the following towns & cities (exact number to be computed later)
1. Eastern Samar province: Borongan, Hernani, Balangkayan, Giporlos
2. Leyte provinces: Tanauan, St. Bernard, Baybay, Palompon
3. Cebu province: Santa Fe, Bantayan, Daan Bantayan, Borbon, Camotes Island, Talisay
4. Ilolilo City & some areas in Panay Island
5. Palawan province: Cullion
A Report from a Rehab Coordinator in Borongan, Samar: (Condensed & edited)
Mr. Rey Gesite is an elder of Borongan EFC and the coordinator of the rehab project. Below is a
portion of his reported to the EFCP:
The rehab "bring us opportunities to share the love of Christ to non-Christians and serve as an
eye opener to their spiritual life as testimony that our Church is really a Christ loving people. I
am happy to inform you that through this Rehab Program, San Mateo Church is always full of
attendees every Sunday that never happened before. In addition to this, seven non-Christian
families are now regular attendees at our church every Sunday. In behalf of Ptr. Sam, the elders,
ministry leaders, outreach workers and the entire WHF family here in Eastern Samar, I really
appreciate and am grateful to the donors around the world through the EFCP leadership of Rev.
Allocod for their generosity, kindness and support of this ministry."
In Christ’s Service,
Bro. Rey B. Gesite, Church Elder/Music Ministry Leader, Borongan City, Eastern Samar
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CONCENTRATED AREAS:
The disaster committee, which is composed of representatives from the EFCP, Reachglobal, and
Allianz Mission, agreed to concentrate our efforts and resources to six towns for community
development in the next 18 months. These towns are as follows:
Eastern Samar province: Cebu Province: Leyte Province:
1. Hernani 4. Santa Fe 6. Tanauan
2. Balangkayan 5. Tudela, Camotes Island
3. Giporlos
Each area will be assigned with at least one coordinator. The main focus is community
development with the view of establishing a church, as the Lord leads.
Rationale for the six areas:
1. Hernani is where Ptr Sam lives, and his wife is department head of a government office. Ptr
Sam will concentrate here and will be relieved of pastoral duties in Borongan City (50 kms.
away) in order to enhance the ministry in Hernani and to build a church building. A church
member has offered her lot for a church building after her house was washed out, and she has
no plans to live there again. There are already pledges and initial amount for building
materials. Hernani will be the center of operation for Easter Samar areas, and Ptr Sam will be
the over- all leader of the workers.
Members of Ptr Sam's team for Eastern Samar The team met with village officials at
with personnel from Humedica, Allianz Mission, Ptr Sam's house regarding community
and EFCP. development efforts in the area.
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2. Balangkayan is a heavily devastated town also about halfway between Hernani and Borongan.
Ptr Noel Cabanillas & wife are assigned there. Ptr Noel will also circuit the two towns of
Balangkayan and a nearby town of Maydulong. There is already an outreach church in
Maydulong with a worship service on Sundays. But Balangkayan is purely pioneering. Ptr
Noel needs a motorbike. A monthly financial support is already pledged for him.
Pastor Noel and wife With Pastor Jun Sabate of World Harvest
Fellowship, California
3. Giporlos is a town about 60 kms south of Hernani. A certain JR and his wife are assigned
there. A two- storey building below is offered as ministry center; but it needs repairs, and the
materials were already purchased. At right picture is Ptr Sam Aberia with the house owner.
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4. Santa Fe is an island-town north of Cebu City more than 100 kms. Ptr Cris Asilom is the
coordinator, with Ptr Joel Dubrico in the area. Ptr Cris is the pastor of Harvest EFC in Cebu
City. Before the Typhoon they were planning to start an outreach in Santa Fe because one of
the members is from the area and she has relatives there. Then, the Typhoon came; and the
ministry just pushed through automatically because of the massive destruction that needs
heavy efforts for rehabilitation and community development.
Part of destruction in Santa Fe Ptr Cris & wife Geraldine
5. Tambacoong, Tudela, Camotes Island. In 1990s, the First EFC in Cebu City initiated an
outreach work in Tudela. A church building was built, but the congregation did not grow for
various reasons. The mother church somewhat "abandoned" the work. Then the Typhoon
came, and the area needed great help for relief and rehab. The church building became the
center of operation, and the church people were greatly encouraged. The non-Christians too
were so blessed because we did more help to the community than the government and other
agencies. The First EFC decided to revive the work in partnership with the EFCP.
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6. Tanauan. Ptr Singh and his wife are from Tanauan, as well as Silverio. Ptr Singh worked as
a farmer but had been conducting bible studies. When the Typhoon came, the area was one of
the worst hit, being near Tacloban City. We channelled the relief efforts through him and
Silverio, and decided to include the area for community development. More bible studies
were established after the Typhoon, and the first worship service was held last Jan. 5th under
a tent. Now, a church building is being constructed. The Tanauan project is under the
supervision of Ambassador Church of Christ in Cebu City led by Ptr Homer Prieto.
Construction of a church building in Tanauan Silverio on the left and Ptr Singh at right
OTHER NEEDS AND SERVICES TO BE CONSIDERED:
1. Three motorcycles for the coordinators' mobility are needed, one each for: Santa Fe,
Tanauan, and Balangkayan.
2. Ptr Sam needs a computer in Samar for communication with different offices and agencies.
3. We need to purchase huge number of bibles - Cebuano and Waray translations.
4. We will be thinking of viable livelihood program especially for fishing and farming
5. We hope to help children on their schooling.
6. There are Community projects that need attention , such as school buildings, chairs, tables
and other public structures in the community.
7. Please pray for the committee as we meet again on Feb. 13th to finalize the budget for the
next 18 months.
PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING:
1. Praise the Lord for making us channels of His blessing and for the opportunity to reflect His
love and generosity to the people at-large.
2. Praise God for the opportunity to share the gospel and to establish local congregations.
3. Praise the Lord for entrusting to us His resources both material and spiritual.
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