MISTAH Foundation USA gives Aid to Super Typhoon Ulysses Victims - Mistah Foundation

MISTAH Foundation USA gives Aid to Super Typhoon Ulysses Victims

Date: 14 Dec, 2020  No Comments

On the beginning of the year 2020 many have started it with anticipation of their new chances and opportunities. However, since the 1^st day of January and as a few more days left as it ends many devastating events were experienced. On the 6^th of November, the 2020 most powerful tropical storm hit the Philippine are which was named Super Typhoon Rolly (Goni) which took up twenty-five (25) lives of our fellow kababayans. It brough destruction and fear to Filipinos, but we were all petrified when a week after another news of an upcoming strong monsoon was about to strike our country.

It was on the 14^th of the same month when Super Typhoon Ulysses struck different regions in Luzon. At 6 in the evening on that day photos and videos of people in the hard-hit areas circulated all over social media sites. The horrifying situations of the victims were seen on these posts including the 5-meter deep flood, children shouting for help, old people and infants on top of their roofs waiting for rescue and the most petrifying of there were residents screaming while they were drowning. These kept up all the viewers all night pleading and lending out a helping hand thru posting and tagging different agencies to reach each victim’s home.

That same night CDR RICHARD T GUBATAN SR (GSC) PN (Res), Exec. Director and Founder of Mistah Foundation USA discovered the ongoing fate of our countrymen in the provinces of Cagayan and Tuguegarao. Without further ado, he immediately planned a trip to these places and came up to travel on a 48-hour donation drive to the said provinces

On the 23^rd of November, a team of fifteen (15) volunteers headed by CDR Gubatan himself set out their way to Cagayan Valley. From CDR GUBATAN’s residence in Dagupan City, a fourteen (14) hour drive was needed to reach their target communities. They started their drive at 9:00 in the evening and arrived the next day at 10:30 in the morning. They have at least four (4) stropovers for their meals, coffee, bathroom breaks and rest.

One (1) large truck and two (2) Grandia vans were their mode of transportation containing various relief goods for the residents of the barangays: 300 sleepers, 400 water gallons, 350 medical kits, 250 sacks of rice, 400 cans of sardines, 600 noodles, 2000 bottles of water, 2500 used clothes and a lot more. It was a tough drive to reach these barangays, one memorable part of their travel was when the team crossed a temporary bridge that looked unstable, underneath this bridge was a gushing fast flowing stream. The communities they reached were: LINAO EAST, Tuguegarao, Cagayan, BUENAVISTA, Sta Maria, Isabela, and CUBAG, Cabagan, Isabela.

The team had none to less sleep for that 48-hour donation drive, but nothing beats a gratifying event such as this. They left the mountains on the night of the 24^th and went home full of pride and happiness for being able to help their countrymen during these tough times.

According to NDRRMC, as of 10th of December, the death toll from the Typhoon Ulysses tallied at 102, with 85 people reported injured and 10 still missing: such figures surpassing the ones for the Super Typhoon Rolly.  Major casualties were reported in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol, CAR and NCR.