2008年5月27日星期二

Typhoon ‘Cosme’ victims receiveemergency assistance in Zambales

STA. CRUZ, Zambales: The province of Zambales which was recently ravaged by Typhoon Cosme is receiving assistance not only from the national government but also from other local government units.
On Friday President Gloria Arroyo who made an ocular inspection in Pangasinan and this province ordered the release of P500 million for emergency assistance for both provinces.
During her inspection in the town of Sta. Cruz, Gov. Enrique Garcia of Bataan donated P500,000 worth of GI sheet while Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza pledged a million worth of construction materials.
Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp., also donated 300 sacks of rice for families affected by Cosme in Sta. Cruz and some 2,000 bags of cement for the repair of school buildings and other infrastructures.
Gov. Amor Deloso of Zambales said that DMCI, a mining firm based in Zambales donated P500, 000 cash for the victims.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council estimates that P3.4- billion worth of agricultural and infrastructure were destroyed by Cosme while leaving 37 people dead and displacing more than 205,000 families in 1,106 barangay, 59 municipalities and seven cities in Zambales, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan and Iloilo.
The bulk of the damages according to NDCC were from agriculture estimated at P3.3 billion while the rest were from damages to school and other infrastructure.
Deloso said that the provincial government is trying to rebuild the schools in time for the June 14 classes.

2008年5月26日星期一

So hard to describe

Just last week typhoon Cosme devastated the town of Sta. Cruz, destroying houses, school and other infrastructure in the town.

TV, Radio reports and newspaper reports could not possibly describe the damage that Cosme did to this small town.

They all have their figures, billions of pesos were lost due to damages in the agricultural sector and other infrastructure. many have died and were left homeless.

TV reporters, radio reporters and print reporters scrambled during GMA's visit in Sta. Cruz.

I will try to get pictures of the place since this will and can only show how Cosme destroyed 80 percent of the town.

2008年5月25日星期日

Poor old mango tree

Ill miss the days when going to our backyard was a comfort.

Our backyard was a heaven for me. During the morning I would go back and sit underneath our big mango tree smoking my favorite cigarette while drink my coffee.

Looking at my dogs, looking at Tilapias and Dalag’s in the river.

This might all change now, two days ago my mother told me that she was going to trim the mango tree, I said yes, I imagine the word trip refers to cutting some of the overgrown branches which was staring to touch the roof of our house.

So off to work I go in the morning not knowing that she was about to slaughter the tree.

Yep you read it right, I said slaughter since she left only the tree trunk standing.

I really can’t understand the logic my mom told me.

Before that the sun couldn’t even pierce through our backyard meaning the place was comfortable, the wind was cold and was pleasant to hangout.

It would be much more interesting to see and I think you would agree with me if I had a picture of the tree after the so called trimming but I don’t have a digital camera now.

That tree also produce sweet mango’s by the way.

Now its hot, very hot.

Agree and frustrated, that’s how I feel right now, I wish I didn’t go to work that day when my mom told me she was going to trim that tree, I could have salvage it. But its done and all I can do now is close my eyes and imagine, remember what it was like underneath that big old tree.