IN RESPONSE to the devastation caused by typhoon Maring, the Ateneo Disaster Response and Management (Dream) Team mobilized relief operations held last August 20 to 24.

The Dream Team raised about 1.4 million pesos in cash donation and doled out over 6,000 relief packs to 60 different partner communities.

Vice President (VP) for Social Development Jaime Holifeña said that much of the cash collection had been used to purchase goods that were then distributed to the typhoon victims.

Meanwhile, Dream Team Operations Manager Norman Marquez said they helped over 4,000 families from as far north as Macabebe and Masantol in Pampanga to as far south as Noveleta, Cavite and Biñan, Laguna.

The Dream Team is an ad hoc committee of the university tapped in times of natural calamities. Its primary mandate is to respond to the calls for assistance from the partner communities of the Ateneo, the Society of Jesus and other Ateneo campuses.

Hofileña clarified that the Dream Team is by nature a university body and does not only cover the Loyola Schools (LS).

The different units of the Dream Team consist of representatives from the grade school to the professional schools. These include the central administration and alumni groups.

Hofileña’s office handles the activation and execution of the Dream Team.

Overview of events

According to the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), Maring affected 619,536 families and caused P138 million worth of damage in the agricultural sector and P495 million in infrastructure.

Six regions in Luzon were declared under states of calamity at the onset of Maring: The National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Regions I, III, IV-A and IV-B.

The Loyola Heights Dream Team’s relief operations were held in the Ateneo Grade School Singson Hall, the College Covered Courts and the Ateneo High School Office of the Associate Principal for Formation.

The Dream Team was aided by student volunteers, the Sanggunian and representatives from various student organizations.

Other areas for the Dream Team’s relief operations for typhoon Maring were held in the following sites: The Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health’s Ortigas campus and the Ateneo Professional Schools’ Makati campus.

VP for Social Development Hofileña said that this setup maximized donations and volunteerism, as the Dream Team observed in the past that members of the various units of the Ateneo community prefer to work with their respective sectors.

As an example, he said parents of the Ateneo Grade School students preferred working with their children’s school. Meanwhile, professional schools students found it more convenient to volunteer in their own campuses.

However, Holifeña clarified that all of Dream Team’s relief operations were coordinated and that donations were channeled to the Loyola Heights campus.

Systems and protocols

Dream Team Student Arm Head Joseph Barcelon commented that the Dream Team’s relief operations in the LS Covered Courts ran more smoothly as compared to last year.

He said that the team implemented its systems and policies efficiently and effectively this time around.

When heavy monsoon rains hit in early August of the previous year, the team was met with an influx of volunteers and donations. This temporarily caused the disorganization of the relief operations.

“We [have] learned our lessons [after] last year for habagat. We were able to control our flow of volunteers and goods,” Barcelon said.

On typhoon Labuyo

The Ateneo Task Force Anti-Apeco (ATFAA) spearheaded a three-day relief operation in cooperation with the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB) and Habitat for Humanity to respond to the devastation typhoon Labuyo caused in Casiguran, Aurora last August 10 to 12.

This was held in the Gonzaga Cafeteria from August 14 to 16.

Casiguran was declared a state of calamity last August 12 after Labuyo hit the province.

The Ateneo Resident Students Association, Ateneo Student Catholic Action and the Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement also assisted in the said relief operations.

“We (ATFAA) channel the proceeds to SLB and Habitat for Humanity as they are the ones in charge of the assessment activities and deployment in Casiguran,” said ATFAA Head Ace Dela Cruz.

According to an SLB infographic found in their Facebook page, 1,245 houses were totally destroyed while 4,026 were partially damaged in Casiguran.

SLB Program Manager for Special Projects Bernie Aton said, “Seeing that they were devastated by the typhoon, we see the need to help them not just with their struggle with [the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (Apeco)] but also with their suffering from the typhoon.”

Apeco is a multibillion-peso project that aims to turn 12,923 hectares of Casiguran into a business and tourism hotspot.

Meanwhile, VP for Social Development Hofileña explained why the Dream Team did not mobilize volunteers after typhoon Labuyo hit.

“Under the Dream Team protocols, there ought to be at least three calls [from the Dream Team’s core members] suggesting mobilization before the team can meet and assess whether to mobilize [or not],” Hofileña said.

“No such threshold was reached [when Labuyo struck],” he clarified.

According to Hofileña, most of the communities served by SLB were not adversely affected by the typhoon.

He added that the team still coordinated with SLB to monitor the situation at Casiguran.

“It is mostly infrastructure in the surrounding areas which was damaged. The team has made monetary contributions out of its operating funds to SLB for its typhoon Labuyo campaign,” Hofileña added.

“Ignatian generosity”

Hofileña expressed gratitude to all the units, organizations and communities that were involved in the relief operations.

“Only God knows how best to reward [them] for the Ignatian generosity [they] continue [to] display,” he said.

Likewise, Sanggunian President Remo lauded the Sanggunian officers and the countless volunteers who braved the rains and took the time to help.

However, he hopes that relief operations will not become the only way of embodying the Ateneo spirit.

“I pose it as a challenge for all of us: How to we best embody being men and women for others, not just in times of disasters, but… outside disasters [as well],” he said.