Senior HS students regale homeless kids in Sorsogon

Students of Pilar National Comprehensive National High School provide Christmas gifts to children left homeless by Typhoon Tisoy. (Rhaydz B. Barcia)

PILAR, Sorsogon ---Toys, food, and school materials were given by senior high school students of the Pilar National Comprehensive National High School (PNCHS) here, who acted as Santa Clauses to children left homeless for almost a month now due to Typhoon Tisoy.

The students gave away toys, school materials, used clothing, foods, and entertained the children who participated in various activities at the Pilar Central School where they are living temporarily since Dec. 2, 2019.

The homeless kids and their parents resided at Barangay Dao, Pilar town. Their houses were destroyed by strong waves brought by the typhoon.

Ma. Lourdes Molleda, a PNCHS teacher, led her students in providing entertainments and merriment-filled activities to the young typhoon victims.

Molleda said that 36 Arts and Design students from Grades 11 and 12 contributed P50/each to buy Christmas gifts for the kids in the evacuation center.

She said “My students opted not to have Christmas party celebration. Instead, each contributed P50 to augment their funds to buy gifts like toys, school materials, and food provision to give Christmas merriment for these children staying in evacuation centers.”

The Christmas activity given by the students brought joy to children in the crowded evacuation camps here. They also distributed used clothes to the children here.

While the homeless kids were enjoying the activity, Ako Bicol partylist solons Elizaldy “Zaldy” S. Co and Alfredo “Pido” Garbin also handed over food packs for the evacuees of barangay Dao.

Ako Bicol partylist has been providing food assistance to villages badly affected by Typhoon Tisoy. The Dao evacuees are calling for government help in rebuilding their houses.

Some 262 families were left homeless by the typhoon and they are currently staying at the Pilar Central School.

Jesebel Brecenio, 22, a single mother of twin Mateo and Mathew are living with her entire family and relatives in evacuation camps here. She along with her parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunties, and cousins were packed like sardines in one of the classrooms of the school. They are hoping to rebuild their houses before New Year’s Day.

Jesebel mother Esperanza said that she wants to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Day in their home not in evacuation center. But her wish to return home this Christmas and New Year’s Day is quite impossible as their home was totally destroyed by storm surge.

“It’s Christmas, sadly we don’t have a home. We will be observing Christmas Day at crowded evacuation center. We wish to have a home before Christmas or New Year. But the problem is my husband could not go on fishing regularly due to bad weather affecting us for few months now,” she said.

Esperanza said that they’re allowed to stay at the school as temporary shelter until New Year’s Day celebration only. After New Year according to her, they need to move out to give way to the school regular classes.

Ako Bicol partylist solons Rep. Zaldy S. Co and Pido Garbin said that they will provide aid to homeless families here through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and National Housing Authority (NHA).

Co told the barangay officials to submit the list of homeless families so they can provide funds through the DSWD and NHA agencies to help the evacuees rebuild their houses.