“You don’t need to be a member of any organization to help people in need. You need to be human.”

Philippine authorities have urged a “total evacuation” of nearly a million people near the capital Manila, after a volcano spewed ash up to nine miles (14 kilometers) into the air Sunday prompting warnings of a possible “explosive eruption.” – Manila, Philippines (CNN)

Last Tuesday, January 13, my OCH family and I decided to convert our saved Sodexo gift checks to dine out at Vikings into relief goods instead. I mentioned on Monday, as our work was suspended due to the Taal eruption that I want to go to Batangas and Tagaytay for some relief operation to help out our “kababayan.”

I was touched by their willingness to help even in a small way. Their sympathy for those in need made me realize that people are inherently good at times of catastrophe. I contacted the head organizer of For A Cause Taal Eruption, Jervin Magyani and told him that I would like to join them on Saturday. After reaching out for help in preparing the goods, several friends from our office pledged to help with the relief operations.

Having sorted out the logistics on which goods to purchase, my friend and I went to Puregold on Friday evening. We were able to see other people and their families with big carts filled with goods that they would also donate to Taal victims. When we arrived in the office, my friends were able to arrange the goods on the table and start grouping them. They finished in no time with the help of other Taal victims that our agency was able to rescue after the eruption happened.

I went home and prepared for the operation. I arrived at the office at around 8 in the evening and saw the goods piled up, ready to be transferred to our meeting point. My friends were already in their office upstairs preparing our food. We arrived at Centris at past midnight. 

The organizers picked us up and traveled to our last pick up point, Baclaran. I was amazed by the people gathered there with their vans and goods, ready for the operation. Everyone seemed prepared. Everyone wanted to help. I requested to be in the driver’s seat so I could see everything on the road but I fell asleep and only woke up when we arrived in Nasugbu.

We visited three evacuation centers in Nasugbu, Calatagan, and Tagaytay. But the evacuation center that caught my attention was the Tagaytay City Integrated School with more than 600 evacuees. I witnessed how these people struggle to sleep with plastic mats over the concrete floor, how they shared their meals and canned goods with other families donated by aid agencies and concerned people — their effort to live with the hope that they could build their lives again. There were also police and military who were looking out of the facility. We knew that our goods were not enough for them but we managed to give them anyway. We also communicated with the head of the Department of Health of Tagaytay to make sure that what we have donated will be shared fairly as we heard and read about the unfair distribution of goods by this agency to other evacuation centers.

Thankfully, we arrived in Manila safely. Our hearts were filled with joy because of the opportunity to help the Taal victims, even in a small way. We believe that people do not need tons of money to help those in need. Do not underestimate people’s ability to make a positive impact on changing the world.