By Gideon C. Corgue
TACLOBAN CITY – A relief
operation initiative dubbed “Pasko Caravan” spearheaded by the city officials
of Catbalogan City ended Sunday, December 23, 2013.
The “Pasko Caravan,” which
is 9 days of joy and smile, has provided not only toys and slippers to the
children-survivors of Typhoon Yolanda but also some entertainment.
Catbalogan City Mayor
Stephanie Uy-Tan in an interview with the staff of Philippine Information Agency
(PIA)-9 said the caravan did not only provide give stuff toys and slippers but
also entertainment to children
seriously affected by
supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan)
Tan said the caravan ran
from Dec. 16 to 23 in the cities of Catbalogan and Tacloban and in the provinces
of Eastern Samar, Western Samar, and Leyte.
More than a thousand children
received the gifts from Tan who personally led the caravan.
Tan said she was
encouraged to initiate the project when she visited Hernani, Eastern Samar, which
was devastated by supertyphoon Yolanda.
“It was the children of
Hernani, Eastern Samar who pushed me to
initiate the caravan. I have seen their unfortunate situation and feel pity on
them for having experienced the trauma wrought by super typhoon Yolanda,” Tan
said.
Tan declared that holding
the Pasko Caravan gave the children joy and made them smile. It helped them
recover from their traumatic experience.
The lady mayor wanted to prove
others wrong in saying that “there is no Christmas for typhoon Yolanda
survivors.”
“I want to disprove the
claim of others that there is no Christmas for typhoon survivors,” Tan said adding
“with the smile of the children is a sufficient proof that there is indeed
Christmas for them.”
Meanwhile, Tan urged all
typhoon Yolanda survivors to stay strong during hard times, as Filipinos are
resilient. “I also encourage them to always pray to God for these things did
happen to measure our faith in Him,” Tan concluded. (PIA9)
