University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi
The Premier Dominican University of Bicol
The Premier Dominican University of Bicol
by Karen Lladones
Tabang sa Tugang (TaSaTu), is UST-Legazpi’s disaster response to calamities that hit the Philippines like the Mindanao earthquake, Typhoon Tisoy in Bicol, and the Taal volcano eruption in Batangas.
Last November 2019, Mindanao was shaken by a 6.5 magnitude earthquake. As a response, TaSaTu was re-activated. A cash donation drive was facilitated by the department heads. From November 11 to December 18, 2019, the cash collection reached P79, 244.00 and a check was prepared and endorsed to the Social Action Center-Legazpi on January 29, 2020 as an aid in their rehabilitation program for the victims of the Mindanao quake.
On December 2, 2019, typhoon Tisoy hit Bicol leaving behind so much destruction to homes and properties of thousands of families. The UST-Legazpi Supreme Student Council (SSC) had its joint activity with the Center for Community Involvement (CCI) through a relief operation to 80 severely and moderately affected families in Sitio Palawan, Rawis, Legazpi City. An inventory of damage to properties was facilitated by the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) through the department/unit heads. The release of cash aid will be facilitated by Cashier’s Office. A total of 43 UST-Legazpi employees, student assistants, volunteers, janitors. and security guards whose properties were severely damaged by the typhoon received cash assistance spearheaded by CCI.
Early this January, a month after the typhoon, Taal Volcano erupted leaving thousands of families’ homeless, worse, left with no livelihood to sustain their living. With the lowering of the alert level from 4 to 3, many of the residents were excited to go back to their homes, while others were not yet permitted due to the lock down policy imposed by the local government. Many aids poured in from various sectors to assist the government in its disaster response.
UST-Legazpi through CCI supports the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Region V and Bicol Foundation for Higher Education’s (BFHE) Tabang para sa mga Biktima Kan Taal Volcano Eruption. UST-Legazpi was designated as one of the drop-off centers in Albay. From January 23, 2020 until January 31, 2020, three HEIs were able to turn over cash and in kind donations such as canned goods, noodles and used clothing. UST-Legazpi had its room to room campaign facilitated by Anduyog volunteers with total cash collections of P32, 209.80. In kind donations were used clothing, over the counter medicines, and hygiene kits. On January 30, 2020, the goods were turned over to CHED V. On the other hand, cash donations were deposited to BFHE’s BPI account. Another initiative of UST-Legazpi for Taal eruption victims was the mass collection during the Feast of St. Thomas on January 28, 2020 amounting to P22, 595.50 which was turned over to the Commission on Justice, Peace and Care for Creation (JPCC) of the Dominican Province of the Philippines through Fr. Gallardo Bombase Jr, O.P., the local Promoter of JPCC of the Convent of St. Raymond of Peñafort.
These acts are Legazpi Thomasian’s way of pagkasararo and in solidarity with God’s brethren.