Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Youth and student groups join Int’l Day of Solidarity for typhoon Yolanda victims

YOUTH and student groups have joined hands to donate, volunteer, pray and take action this Wednesday, as various groups around the world observe the International Day of Solidarity and Action for victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda.


Early into the day, volunteers from youth-led relief effort Tulong Kabataan in various schools and universities including UP, PUP, UST continued the collection of donations and relief goods in various drop-off centers.


At midday, roving teams assembled in front of Lyceum Manila for a short solidarity program before going to public transport terminals, markets, schools and other public establishments to collect more funds for typhoon victims. Also, Holy Mass for the over 10,000 estimated casualties of Typhoon Yolanda was offered in the Philippine General Hospital at lunchtime today.


Meanwhile, anti-pork barrel organization YOUTH ACT NOW held one of the first consultative fora on the People’s Initiative against pork barrel in Colegio San Juan de Letran this afternoon, wherein the group deplored President Benigno Aquino III’s exploitation of the calamity to defend the presidential pork barrel.


By 4 p.m., youth and student groups converged in various points around Metro Manila to hold an interfaith and solidarity program. In UP Diliman, students, faculty and staff gathered together in Quezon Hall in an event dubbed “Kapit-kamay Alay sa Kababayan.” Similar activities were also held in PUP Sta. Mesa, and in schools in the University Belt, Taft Avenue, and in communities in Quezon City, Caloocan, and other cities.


The solidarity programs culminated with candle-lighting activities and pledges of action by 6 p.m.


“Today, we assemble in our schools, communities and workplaces to send a message of hope and unity to our distraught countrymen who continue to anguish and suffer days after the monstrous calamity has struck,” Tulong Kabataan Coordinator Athena Gardon said.


Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) left in its wake an estimated 10,000 in cities and towns in central Philippines and displaced around 660,000 people.


‘Still no relief’


Youth groups also lamented the “utter failure” of the national government to extend relief and rehabilitation efforts to thousands more residing in outlying towns in Eastern Visayas and nearby islands struck by the monster typhoon.


“Reports from the ground reveal that the focus of the national government is largely in main cities like Tacloban. Relief goods and humanitarian efforts remain largely constricted to a small area, while outlying towns in Leyte and Samar have obtained little to no attention even days after the disaster,” Gardon said.


There are reports that the disaster response of the national government has yet to reach several towns in Leyte, Eastern Samar, Aklan, Capiz, and some towns in Iloilo. Meanwhile, relief and rehabilitation efforts in Tacloban City and nearby towns are also “moving at a glacial pace.”


“It has been almost a week after the typhoon has struck. It is simply deplorable that the national government is still failing to hasten relief and rescue operations for the victims despite the outpour of support from both local and international governments and organizations” Gardon said.


For his part, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon said that the slow pace of relief is rooted to the lack of a “comprehensive disaster plan that puts premium on disaster preparedness.”


“Added to this, the Aquino administration has even exploited the tragedy as an opportunity for politicking and victim-blaming,” Ridon said.


“And to top that, Aquino even used the calamity as justification for heightened military presence – not for relief and rehabilitation – but to supposedly reinstate ‘safety and security’ in ravaged towns,” Ridon remarked.


The government has earlier deployed more military and police forces in ravaged towns after reports of looting.


“We should not judge those who have resorted to looting for survival. Instead, we should hold government accountable for its failure to provide essential services to these people, thus forcing them to resort to these antisocial activities,” Ridon added.


“This is not the time to forward dirty political and military motives. This is not the time for divisive tactics. Instead, this is a time for national solidarity and collective action. We thus call on the national government to get its act together, and swiftly respond to the urgent needs of our countrymen,” he ended.


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Youth and student groups join Int’l Day of Solidarity for typhoon Yolanda victims


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