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  • LSDE Printing

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    187 P. Zamora St.,Tac. City

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    Baybay 3,Borongan CityEastern Samar

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    Tacloban City

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    (055) 261-3319

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    EASTERN PACIFIC

    HARDWARE

    January 12-18, 2014

    The Cebu-based cargo ship that runs aground into a populated barangay in Tacloban City now served as temporary shelter and sometimes being used as tourist spot by the passing commuters, film makers and social-media bloggers. The ship was also used as venue of the pre-nuptial pictorial by a couple from Manila and was aired via national television. (Ricky J. Bautista)

    Expect more bunkhouses in Samar says DPWH exec

    Amid the on-going investigations on the alleged substandard and overpriced construction of the tem-porary shelters for the typhoon victims, the govern-ment is constructing 247 more bunkhouses in Leyte and Samar areas.

    DPWH Region 8 Director Rolando Asis said 208 bunkhouses will be constructed in Leyte, 35 in Eastern Samar and four (4) in Samar. He announced this last Tuesday in a regional conference in Tacloban City.

    Of the 208 bunkhouses in Leyte, some 180 houses will be built in Tacloban City while 28 more houses in Palo, Leyte.

    Tacloban and Palo are two of the worst hit areas by the typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). It was also hit by a 15-feet storm surge that displaced thousands of its residents considered now as homeless.

    Earlier, the DPWH vowed to construct some 222 temporary shelters for the families in Eastern Visayas who were displaced by Yolanda.

    Typhoon-affected families have already occupied the 24 bunkhouses out of the 135 completed bunkhouses built for them by the government.

    These occupied shelters are located in Marabut and Basey in Samar; Guiuan, Hernani, Quinapondan and Borongan in Eastern Samar; and in Leyte cluster, the DPWH official said.

    DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson earlier denied reports that the bunkhouses in Eastern Visayas were overpriced and substandard.

    In fact, it (bunkhouses in EV) were completed at a cost of P836,017 which is lower than the original esti-mated cost of P959,000 per bunkhouse composed of 24 units, he said.

    The DPWH official pointed out that the bunkhouses cost of construction was lowered because the contrac-tors generously waved the profit margin and overhead expenses especially on common wash and toilet area.

    DPWH has set the specifications for the construc-tion of bunkhouses made of wooden frames, GI Sheet roofing, plywood walls and raised flooring, and cement footing. (rjb)

    By Ricky J. Bautista

    GSIS grants special loan programs for Yolanda-affected

    members, pensionersTACLOBAN CITY The Government Service Insurance

    System (GSIS) is granting special loan programs to its active members who are working or residing in the worst-hit areas affected by typhoon Yolanda.

    This was announced by GSIS President and General Manager Robert G. Vergara, during the Dialogue with Agency Heads and Members conducted at the Ritz Tower de Leyte, Tacloban City on January 15.

    Also present during the activity were GSIS Senior Vice-President Atty. Dionesio C. Ebalde, Jr. and Vice-Presi-dent for GSIS Visayas Salvacion P. Mate.

    According to Manager Vergara, these special programs offered by GSIS are the Loan Moratorium Program (LMP), the Home Emergency Loan Program (HELP), the Enhanced Emergency Loan Program (EELP), and the Pensioners Emer-gency Loan Program (PELP).

    It was learned that under the LMP, a loan moratorium of six months is granted to the GSIS members starting November 2013 to April 2014, which covers all active loan accounts of its members as of October 2013 and will resume payment effective May 2014.

    On the other hand, the Home Emergency Loan Program

    NGCP assures stable power supply thissummer

    THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has assured efficient power transmission for a reliable and stable power supply for the summer season.

    Ma. Rosette B. Martinez, NGCP Corporate Com-munications and Public Affairs Officer for Visayas, said that the countrys power transmission service provider is efficiently maintaining its power lines and equipment and transmitting power supply from all available sources.

    This is to afford our consumers with smooth trans-mission of electricity and minimize power outages espe-cially with the onset of the summer season, said Martinez.

    She said that measures are in place to address possi-ble scenario of overloading of system components of the Visayas grid.

    She also said that protection devices are activated to ensure overloading of the system can be avoided and sys-tem problems can be immediately detected.

    She added that a number of projects are now being considered by NGCPs engineering department to address possible transmission concerns and make sure that their

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  • NEWS2 January 12-18, 2014

    TACLOBAN CITY Health officials in the region expressed their fear of a possible outbreak of both measles and dengue fever cases in Yolanda-hit areas after cases of these ailments stalked typhoon victims.

    Doctor Jose Llacuna, Jr., health director, said that as of their latest monitoring, 56 cases of dengue fever and similar number of cases of measles were monitored by their office in Yolanda-hit areas.

    He said that Tacloban posted the highest number of dengue fever cases at 26 followed by Babatngon with 21 cases, Palo ( three) Macarthur (2) while Tanauan, Carigara, Dulag and Alang-alang, all towns in Leyte with one case each.

    Llacuna said that the cases of dengue fever affecting residents of these areas have raised fears among them as this could result for a possible outbreak due to present condition as rains continued to be experienced in these places.

    On top of this, the still uncollected heap of garbage in these areas would only compound the health risk for these people, the health

    Dengue, measles noted in Yolanda-hit areas

    regional director said. The health official had

    called for cooperation of all as government alone cannot solve this problem.

    He also called for people to avoid self medication as some diseases like chikungunya, pneumonia as he urged them instead to seek help from health authorities to immediately and properly provide health and medical assistance to them.

    Llacuna added that residents in the affected area should observe the 4S program of the DOH to combat dengue. The 4S stands for the search and destroy, seek early consultation, self protective and say no to fogging.

    He, however, said that in Yolanda- affected areas, fogging was allowed because these were done by technical people.

    Fogging uses chemicals that are harmful to our health, Llacuna said.

    Fogging should also be done in a proper time added Llacuna.

    For measles cases, the DOH had also recorded 56 cases which were noted in Tacloban, Carigara, Capoocan and Palo, all in Leyte; Oras and Can-avid, both from Eastern Samar. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

    PALO, Leyte-At least 166 classrooms are expected to be completed in typhoon Yolanda-hit areas by January 31 this month, just in time for the Chinese New Year, said Mu Nai Sheng, deputy manager of the Chinese Red Cross for its classroom building project.

    Sheng, who has been in Leyte since December 6 last year for the Chinese Red Cross various humanitarian assistance, said they want the school building construction to be finished the soonest possible time so the children will feel a bit comfortable in attending classes.

    Along with Sheng are 34 Chinese Red Cross volunteers helping in the school building project.

    We are here to help. We feel your suffering, and were sorry for what happened in your country, Sheng told Leyte Samar Daily Express in an interview.

    Chinese Red Cross builds transitional classrooms in Yolanda-hit Leyte By Ronald O. Reyes

    TACLOBAN CITY South Korean government will be spending $30 million (32 billion South Korean won) in its one-year reconstruction of government buildings in three typhoon-ravaged towns in Leyte. Lt. Baek Myunghyun, public relations officer of the Korean joint support group deployed in Leyte, said they will prioritize the removal of storm debris and reconstruction of hospitals, public schools and municipal halls in the typhoon-stricken towns of Palo, Tanauan and Tolosa. This place needs immediate recovery. As much as we like to help everyone, its difficult to address all the needs. Our focus is the repair of public facilities so that everyone could benefit, Baek told Leyte Samar Daily Express. The official said they immediately heeded the Philippine governments request for aid, recognizing the countrys participation in the 1950s Korean War. The driving factor why we came here is the 7,500 Filipino youths who came

    Koreans to spend $30-M for Leyte rehabto South Korea during the war where about 112 of them died. We want to return back to Filipinos generosity, Baek said. The team, which called themselves Araw had brought with them 100 equipment, consisting of back hoes, pay loaders, military trucks, ambulance, buses and fumigation trucks. Heavy equipments arrived in Leyte on December 28, 2013 onboard the Korean Navy ship Sunginbong Birobong. To Korea, the Philippines is a friend nation and the first country to participate in the Korean War and helped us defend our freedom and peace, he added.The troops, composed of members of South Korean army, navy, air force and marines is now currently repairing the Leyte Provincial Hospital in Palo town and two schools in Tanauan and Tolosa. Construction officially started January 6 and will be completed by the end of the year.Were working on an environment that is unfamiliar for us. Were

    using construction materials and methods that are local. That one year mission is not definite. An extension may occur depending on the agreement between two governments. Were still leaving that option open, Baek said.The troops opted to use local construction materials and methods to ensure the project will be continued by locals if in case they will not be able to finish the project after the mission.The Korean team, which belongs to the first contingent, will stay in Leyte until June 2014. Another team will replace them in the middle of the year until December. The team is now building their base camp in Government Center in Palo, Leyte.Aside from reconstruction activities, the troop will also conduct medical missions and hold cultural presentation to make the Filipinos familiar of Korean culture. Our work here will reinforce the friendship of Filipinos and South Koreans, Baek added. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

    ...from page 4

    has an appropriation period from January 2 March 31, 2014 with a 6% interest rate per annum and payable in ten years time. This loan program which is offered to the GSIS members re-siding in the 126 worst-hit areas offers a maximum loan of Php200,000.00 and is covered by redemption insurance.

    Another loan program offered by GSIS is the En-hanced Emergency Loan Program or EELP, which offers Php40,000.00 loan for members with outstand-ing balance and Php20,000 for borrowers without out-standing balances.

    Under the Pensioners Emergency Loan Program, a total amount of Php20,000 loan will be granted to a pensioner with a 6% interest rate per year, payable in three years to be deducted from the pensioners monthly pension.

    The GSIS gave guarantee that the loan will be released in one weeks time. Appli-cation forms may be down-loaded at www.gsis.gov.ph and loans may be filed at any nearest GSIS office.

    GSIS informed that as of January 15, 2014 loan releases for Yolanda bor-rowers have reached Php4.5 billion for Emergency Loan covering 130,725 members and Php158.2 million for Pensioners Emergency Loan covering 7,910 pensioners. (Marivic Alcober)

    GSIS........from page 1

    facilities and equipment are in tip-top condition.

    However, Martinez said that NGCP could only guarantee efficiency in terms of power trans-mission.

    She said that for

    any power interruption caused by other factors including generation de-ficiencies, or those per-taining to distribution utility operations, are beyond our control.

    She also advised the consumers to avoid wasteful use of electricity in order to conserve energy.

    NGCP......from page 1

    Sheng, however believed that Filipinos will rise from their situation, adding that Filipinos are very strong people.

    This is the first time I visited Philippines, and I admire your resiliency. The people here still manage to smile despite what happened, added Sheng, whose previous humanitarian projects include that of rebuilding Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, among other countries.

    According to Sheng, the prefabricated classrooms, whose all materials came straight from China, can last up to five years, depending however on its usage.

    Each classroom has an area of 60 square meters which can accommodate a good number of students, Sheng said.

    Michael Regis, school principal of Palo National High School, has expressed gratitude to the Red Cross as his school is a recipient

    of 26 new classrooms from the humanitarian agency.

    According to Regis, typhoon Yolanda destroyed more than 30 classrooms in his school, which brought a big problem to the students when they reopened classes on December 2 last year.

    We are really thankful for the help from the Red Cross volunteers both from China and the Philippines, also to the Department of Public Works and Highways for assisting in the construction of our classrooms, Regis added.

    Meanwhile Sheng said that aside from transitional classrooms they built in Palo, they are also building the same in Tacloban, and soon in Dulag, Tanauan, and Tolosa, for both elementary and high school.

    The Department of Education has earlier said that more than 4, 500 classrooms were destroyed when typhoon Yolanda hit central Philippines last November 8, 2013. (PR)

    bamboo.The outer walls are

    also covered in bamboo or whatever local materials are available from the land. They do not own the land, mind you, Canning said.

    On completion, the new home owner then gets P500 (about 8) from our funds to finish off the inside. The cost is about 200 for each house. It would be cheaper if we were not so far from our own homes in Southern Leyte. The last part of the journey can only be undertaken by 4x4 vehicles, Pascal wrote on his Facebook page.

    Because of my experience in building and the fact that I worked with Filipino carpenters and chainsaw operators before, I could not do nothing. I also speak some of the local language and most importantly understand the people and their culture, he said.

    After the 30 houses? As long as I have funds I aim to build these basic houses until I die. In my opinion every family deserves a basic 12 x 10 place to call home, he said.

    But Canning and his team have already gone beyond 30 houses.

    In Tolosa, where coastal areas went underwater due to the storm surge, Canning and his crew have allocated house numbers up to 42 already.

    There are many more homeless who will be in the next batch as long as funds keep coming in, he said.

    Aside from Cannings friends and family back in the UK helping him, he also tied up with Taga Maasin Ka Kung (TMKK), an online group mainly composed of overseas Filipino workers from Maasin City which has been doing charity work for three years.

    The funding is by donations from my friends, and friends of friends, Canning said.

    As Star Apple Fund for Leyte and TMKK for Leyte are not yet registered charities, Canning began working on a foundation.

    The SEC (Security Exchange Commission) says I need to have P1 million (about 16,900) in a bank account to start a foundation. I dont have one million, and even if I did, they expect to leave it there for about 10 days, whilst they check that it is there. So what about the people who need shelter? Housing them is my priority, Canning said.

    The motto of Star Apple Leyte Fund will now change from I Cannot Do Nothing to We Cannot do Nothing. The We is our donors and volunteers, he said.

    Survivors....

  • OPINIONEDITORIAL

    R

    Dalmacio C. GrafilPublisher

    Romeo CebrerosOIC

    Pio CalvoEditor-in-Chief

    EASTERN SAMAR

    Brgy. Songco, Borongan City Eastern Samar(055) 261-3319

    January 12-18, 2014

    DISASTER

    Winning stanceesilient. This is the most-widely used word to picture the Waraynons particularly in areas

    hit by supertyphoon Yolanda on November 8 last year. Every corner of the world ascribe this adjective to the manner by which the victims of Yolanda in Eastern Visayas have shown their determination to rise above adversity and dearth, and rebuild their lives that the furious mother nature tried to snatch from them in a couple of hours.

    Now, as can at least be gleaned on news reports and documentaries by those who never had the opportunity to step on the lands ravaged by the megastorm, the residents and entrepreneurs are really making this disaster that just passed a loser rather than a victor in shattering their hope of recovery by moving ahead upright and head up although a day at a time.

    To many, the storm was just among the trials that could make or break the total framework of an individual. Save the case of those who have lost every bit of their material possession or, worse, their loved ones, rebuilding was not that difficult to come by among those easily reached by aids from benevolent individual and institutional donors and volunteers domestic and foreign.

    The local governments sincerity in reaching out to the victims, sans regard to political colors, is another factor that makes the proverbial dictum Arise and Move On indubitably doable. The resilient Filipino which is almost a household by word across the

    archipelago depicts the heroism that thrives within the inner walls of every Filipinos ideals and perception. It is a winning stance that embodies the true sense of survival.

    Being resilient, though, is an attribute not exclusive to the Waraynons. Every human on planet Earth is simply admirable for his endurance, toughness, flexibility and spirit in coping with any form of tribulation that come between him and his struggle for betterment, save again the case of those who suffer the beating and end with mental and emotional baggage.

    The people of Mindanao who also suffered a blow in the decades-long war between the Muslim rebels and government troops, those in some parts of Luzon and Visayas which sustained losses due to continued heavy rains that stormed their vegetations and verdant landscapes, and in areas battered by the killer quakes that destroyed even the repositories of the countries rich past, are all equally resilient. They comprise what is now a race to reckon the Filipino community.

    This, however, is without saying that they will just be complacent and too trusting especially to the government which is graft-laden and at times construed to be apathetic to the real plight of the suffering natives. Their vigilance and persistence in upholding what is lawful and just make their winning stance more pronounced and relevant.

    The endless quest for humility

    Hints and TracesBy Fr. Roy Cimagala

    OH, what a slippery virtue humility is! Its hard to keep it in ones grip without pride spoiling it precisely by making use of it. The most insidious and devious type of pride is when one takes pride in his humility, righteousness and holiness. Thats when pride becomes almost in-vincible.

    When one finds it hard to understand and pray for others, to be considerate and magnanimous, these are signs of the absence of humility. When one thinks in an abiding way to be superior to others, when he is quick to judge others and to regard his criteria, standards and opinions to be the only ones that matter, for sure humility is practically dead.

    When he does not feel superior, he is usually tak-en over by envy and anx-iety. Insecurity creeps in, and joy and peace just flee. Thus, he likes to feed his superiority by indulging in selfies and other forms of self-assertion, both open and hidden, aggressive and subtle, even to the point of using reverse psychology.

    When one seems to see only the weaknesses, mis-takes and failures of others with hardly any notice or just quiet on their accom-plishments, you can be sure pride is lording it over him. He may be well-man-nered from a distance, but when he starts to speak, the words betray whats really inside his mind and heart.

    He is prone to gossip, unable to control himself. He, of course, will try to make himself look good and fair. He may even ad-mit to some shortcomings of his own but only to strike a bigger blow on

    others. Its actually a terri-ble, dirty world, this world of gossip.

    He is usually hard to be with. And if he looks like hes being sociable, you can readily see the artificiality of it all. And most of the time, he only talks about his own self, about his own interests. He hardly listens to others. He just listens to himself.

    I have met all kinds of people but theres hardly anything more depressing than to talk with some-one so enclosed in his own world that no reminder, suggestion and correction from outside can enter. Only his ideas and ways make sense. Those of others dont. The proud person is agonizingly blind.

    This reminds me of what St. Peter once said in his letter. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. A proud person cannot be a man of God. C.S. Lewis expressed it well when he said:

    As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see some-thing that is above you.

    The scourge of pride usually afflicts people of more or less high status in-tellectually or in some other aspects like talents, power, fame and fortune in life. It can afflict persons even in a more grievous way in the religious and ecclesiastical circles.

    In fact, I have come to believe after many years of experience that theywe, including myselfare the most vulnerable ones. This, of course, is not surprising since the higher one gets in his status, the bigger also

    would be the temptations, and the more painful would be the fall when he falls.

    But to be sure, not everything is lost. There is always hope. And the more challenging the problem and predicament are, we can also get a greater grace. St. Paul said it: Where sin abounded, grace did abound more. (Rom 5,20)

    It is just a matter at focusing our life on God, entirely conforming our mind and heart on Christ, on his word and example. We just have to develop the proper attitudes and virtues. We have to be open-minded, always thankful, mindful always that everything good comes from God.

    The bad things should

    neither take us away from God, but rather should spur us to go even more closely to him, convinced that Christ has redeemed us, converting our sinfulness into the very way of our own salvation through the cross.

    We need to follow Christs command closely to love one another as he himself has loved us. For this, we cannot help

    but have to deny ourselves and to carry the cross in any form it comes, as he himself clearly said.

    Lets develop the atti-tude of doing what we have to do yet passing unnoticed, always eager to serve and not to be served. And as St. Paul said, in humility, let each esteem others better than themselves. (Phil 2,3).

  • NEWSEASTERN SAMAR4 January 12-18, 2014

    Catbalogan LGU continue bringing relief to typhoon-affected residents in Leyte

    THE Local Government of Catbalogan City is giv-ing non-stop support to the Yolanda affected people in Leyte, with the hope that this will somehow relieve the burden of the victims brought about by the traumatic experience.

    As part of the continued aid of Catbalogan to fellow Waray-Warays affected by the recent calamity, the LGU team recently delivered some 3,760 packs of non- food items to the people of three towns in Leyte.

    Salbar Samar thru Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan recently dis-tributed new and used clothing along with toiletries and towels to residents of Alang-Alang, Palo and in San Jose, Tacloban City, all in the province of Leyte.

    We will never forget the help extended by Catbalogan City government in our barangay, one of the beneficiaries said.

    BUNKHOUSES. Amid controversy on alleged substandard and overpriced construction of bunkhouses, the De-partment of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) continue to construct more temporary shelters for the displaced families in all affected areas hard-hit by super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) on November 8. Picture taken in Marabut Samar by SWE. (Ricky J. Bautista)

    DUPTOURS Shuttle ServiceFully Air-Conditioned Vehicles For Hire from

    Tacloban City - (053) 523-8107 321-1370Carigara - (053) 546-1352Ormoc City - (053) 561-6823Borongan - (055) 560-9747Guiuan - (055) 271-2121Catbalogan - (055) 543-9127Naval - (053) 500-7834 (053) 327-0130Baybay - (053) 327-0300Calbayog - (055) 534-3020

    Sto. Nio St.,Tacloban CityLeyte, PhilippinesCell, # 09209816587Sun 09228584759 09228126886

    HOTEL CONSUELOAvenida Veteranos, Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines

    Tel. # (053) 520-8134 / (053) 321-3588email add: [email protected]

    wi-fi zone

    In Alang-Alang, Leyte, 200 relief packs were distributed at Barangay Blumentritt thru Barangay Chairman Alfonso Protes-ta; and 300 relief packs at Barangay San Roque thru Barangay Chairman Artemio Ayo.

    Meanwhile, in Palo, Leyte, 900 relief packs were distributed at Barangay Libertad through Municipal Administrator Pipes Ygrubay and some 767 relief packs were distributed at Barangay San Joaquin through Mr. Papos Lantajo.

    Moreover, in San Jose, Tacloban City, no less than 1,595 relief packs were distributed through Barangay Chairman Lodovico Ortiga.

    LGU Catbalogan was one of the first responders in Tacloban City the day after Yolanda hit the region.

    The said LGU conducted distribution of relief goods, medical mission and rescue operations in different parts of Eastern Visayas that were hardly hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda. (Avha H. Ebalde)

    Gabriela Womens Party Representative Luzviminda Ilagan urged colleagues in the House of Representatives to immediately tackle in its agenda House Resolution 453 amid increased reports of trafficking and cybersex operations in the country, especially in areas hardest hit by Typhoon Yolanda including Leyte and Cebu.

    HR 453 principally authored by Gabriela Womens Party Reps. Ilagan and Emmi De Jesus directs the Committees on the Welfare of Children and Women and Gender Equality to conduct an inquiry on the virtual Sweetie and the glaring inability of the Philippine government to

    Trafficking, prostitution taking a turn for the worse amid neglect of disaster victims-solon

    stop pedophilia and child pornography.

    Despite the enactment of laws including the Anti-Child Pornography law and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, the Philippines continues to fail in addressing gender violence. These laws are obviously not enough as they are practically negated by government policies that worsen unemployment and women and families lack of access to basic social services. Women and their families are practically left with no choice. Sa kabila ng mga naipasang batas, mahihirapan talaga tayong mapigilan ang cybersex at cyberprostitution hanggat papalala ang kahirapan at ang kawalan

    ng kabuhayan,Ilagan said.In recent months,

    raids on suspected cyber prostitution dens have been conducted in both Cebu and Angeles cities in Pampanga. The said cybersex and prostitution operations reportedly victimized minors and young girls from poor communities.

    The urgency with which this issue must be addressed cannot be emphasized enough as a growing number of young women and girls become increasingly vulnerable to gender violence. The absence of livelihood opportunities, the governments criminal neglect of typhoon and disaster victims evident in the slow and inefficient

    response to the relief and rehabilitation needs of disaster survivors make women and girls easy prey for traffickers, cybersex operators and pimps, said Ilagan who also cited reports of human trafficking among Typhoon Yolanda victims in Basey and Marabut in Samar province.

    Reports estimate some 60,000 to 100,000 Filipino children have fallen victims to sex predators and pedophiles.

    The Gabriela solons said they are hoping that both the Committees on the Welfare of Children and Women and Gender Equality will tackle HR 453 when Congress resumes session next week.(R)

    The Canning family with recipient of Star Apple Leyte Fund House 42 in Tolosa Leyte

    Survivors build houses the Irish way

    Pascal Canning, 51, an Irishman, came to the Philippines on March 15, 2006, a few weeks after a landslide covered the entire village of Guinsaugon in St. Bernard, Southern Leyte. He found his wife Eden Lida from Maasin City and they married in 2008.

    Like many foreigners who marry locals, Canning got used to the humdrum of rural life, until he opened a new beach hotel named Caimito.

    Canning and his wife busied themselves with the day-to-day operation of the hotel, welcoming guests, foreigners and locals alike, to their resort.

    Then supertyphoon Yolanda pounded Leyte and Samar on Nov. 8, 2013, killing more than 6,000 people and flattening more than 1 million houses.

    Canning and his wife no longer felt comfortable spending their nights enjoying the evening sky from their newly-built villas, knowing that some 100 kilometers away, entire villages had been swept away, leaving thousands of people homeless.

    Canning decided to seek help from his friends in Ireland, starting what the Star Apple Leyte Fund on Nov. 17, 2013 on Facebook.

    I am from Ireland, living in Maasin, Southern Leyte. I set up this fund to help the people from the northern Leyte rebuild their lives. Star Apple Leyte Fund was created this week by me. It is for my friends in Ireland. US people are welcome to donate. If you have a problem with it not being a registered charity, just send your money to the Red Cross, etc. Every penny we take in will be accounted for and every penny will be spent on the displaced people. We have no administrative expenses, Canning wrote.

    By Dec. 19, 2013, Canning and his crew including his brother Gary and cousin Declanwere already moving on to their second emergency housing project in Tolosa, Leyte, after completing 31 houses in Barangay Tugas in Tabango, Leyte, some four hours drive from his hotel in Maasin City.

    Canning said he chose Tabango first because he had a friend there who was married to a Filipina from the area.

    It was total wipeout of the indigent houses. We built 31 12x10 houses with about 42 families. The lots are owned by a farmer who donated the trees, he said.

    Choosing Tolosa also gave him no problem in terms of land ownership.

    We needed a place to build without problems. They are not squatters. The indigents have permission to build on the land, Pascal said.

    Every built house gets a house number, and costs about 200 to 300 euros to build. Donors see what their donations are buying on Cannings Facebook page.

    I am building 30 native homes. This process starts off with the chainsaw operators cutting the fallen coconut trees into 4x4, 4x2, 3x2 and 2x2 timber. My carpenters then build a wooden framed building, 12 x 10 and cover in corrugated galvanized steel. The house owner then covers the floor joists with split

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