SBMA conducts out-reach program to poor living in Sunken Village of Zambales BY REY GARCIA SAN MARCELINO, ZAMBALES – The Legal Affairs Group of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), recently conducted its out-reach program in a far-flung community known as the Sunken Village of Zambales. The group headed by lawyer Randy Escolango, SBMA deputy administrator for Legal Affairs, said that the SBMA had chosen the remote village of barangay Aglao in San Marcelino , Zambales as the recipient of the SBMA outreach program for this year. The village is where the Mapanuepe Lake which was created after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Lahars following the eruption blocked the drainage of Mapanuepe River, south of the volcano, flooding Mapanuepe Valley together with its settlements. Only the steeple of the church protruding out of the water remained on one of the villages. About 250 indigent residents benefitted from the project receiving relief goods from employees belonging to the Legal Affairs Group composed of the Labor and of course, Legal departments of the SBMA. “This project is our way of extending help to our neighboring communities who truly are in need of care and assistance from SBMA,” Escolango said. The group almost did not make it to the site as the vehicle they used got stuck up on mud it has encountered while traveling the long and bumpy mountain side zig-zag load leading to the Sunken Village. As soon as the group arrived at the site, the lawyers started to unload and carry the relief goods themselves as residents waited in a make shift canopy built by community leaders. Village chief Mario Tagapuen handed over the list of the recipients to the SBMA lawyers to start the program by calling their names to receive the relief goods. Lawyer Von Rodriguez, head of the SBMA Legal Department assisted Escolango in handing-over the relief goods to recipients including some Aeta village residents. It could recalled that the subsequent rains following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo produced lahar that dumped volcanic debris on the Marella River, one of the major drainages of the mountain, aggrading the river that eventually dammed the Mapanuepe River. The rising waters submerged the Mapanuepe Valley including the barangays of Aglao, Buhawen and Pili of San Marcelino, Zambales. Rodriguez, son of incumbent Mayor Jose Rodriguez, thanked the group for its efforts to reach-out and extend help to village residents. Marcus Joseph Gonzales and Michelle Dolores did the opening prayer and singing of the national anthem, respectively with the legal group and recipients while lawyer Melvin Varias led the parlor games that brought joy to the kids. The group promised to be back and extend more help to poor people living in the Sunken Village of Zambales.
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 07:37:02 +0000
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