JEDDAH, 21 February 2006 — A bike was all 13-year-old Charlie wanted; his four-year-old sister Cherry wished for a doll.
Loreto Aure, a Filipino working in Jeddah, was ready to grant his children’s wishes during Charlie’s graduation in elementary school next month.
But that joyful reunion is not going to happen. Aure will be going home very soon instead to attend his children’s funeral. Charlie and Cherry were among up to 1,500 people who perished in the massive landslide that buried the village of Guinsaugon in Southern Leyte province last Friday.
They were among 200 pupils buried in the elementary school building and given up for dead by rescuers.
The tragedy is particular devastating for Aure, a 37-year-old plumber at the Saudi Binladen Group. He also lost his brother Albert, mother-in-law, a brother-in-law, and more than 100 of his wife’s relatives.
His only consolation was that his wife, Thelma, survived because she was at a rice mill at St. Bernard town center when then tragedy struck.
Aure said he learned of the incident through a brother who sent him an SMS or text message via cell phone. “My wife was unable to call me because she was still in shock,” Aure told Arab News.
A number of kababayan, mostly his colleagues at Saudi Binladen, have immediately come to Aure’s succor.
One of them was Cesar Ramirez, a foreman, who had been providing psychological assistance and also accompanied Aure to the Philippine Consulate to seek help.
“I feel what he feels. I know what he feels for his family,” said Ramirez, who recalled having lost one of his children 10 years ago.
After learning of Aure’s predicament, Consul General Pendosina Lomondot directed Labor Attaché Bulyok Nilong, Assistant Labor Representative Des Dicang, and DSWD Representative Pearl Panganiban to provide all the necessary assistance.
They were told to help process the travel visa of Aure “urgently” so he can go home as soon as possible.
Dicang called the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Manila for “airport assistance” so that Aure could catch his connecting flight to Leyte.
Dicang also told Arab News that a group of Filipino employees at Saudi Oger had called him and asked where they can send their donations to the victims of the landslide. Told about Aure’s fate, they agreed to help him.
Ramirez appealed to other kind kababayans for more help, saying Aure has to buy a plane ticket from Manila to Tacloban in Leyte. From there, he still has to catch a bus to Guinsaugon, and that is another eight hours of travel.
Dindo Amparo, bureau chief of Balitang Middle East, said that the ABS-CBN Foundation will also provide assistance to Aure when he lands in Manila.
ABS-CBN Foundation, meanwhile, offered to connect donors to survivors of the Ginsaugon landslide.
According to Art Los Baños, manager of The Filipino Channel in Dubai, those who want to donate cash can deposit money to ABS-CBN Foundation, Equitable PCIB, account number 1491-04069-2 (peso account).
For other donations, parties may contact Ven Agan, ABS-CBN Foundation coordinator at telephone numbers +632 4152272 local 3789 or mobile number +6391-7856-5532, or via e-mail at [email protected].
Los Baños said clothes are not allowed by the Philippine government, while medicines must not be expiring for at least six months and that the shipment should first be coordinated with ABS-CBN Foundation due to custom requirements.
