No big or small help. Any amount is welcome.
Despite their own financial limitations and the fact that they were also affected by Odette, some detainees from the city’s Inagawan Subcolony donated small amounts to others who were severely devastated by the typhoon.
Prison chaplain Fr. Glenn Binasahan Parco, in his homily Sunday, described the impact of Odette in Puerto Princesa and municipalities in northern Palawan.
He also noted that the Iwahig Corrections Facility’s (ICF) other sub-colonies — Iwahig (Central) and Sta. Lucia subcolonies — were still without electricity.
“Noong sinabi ko ‘yon, kung nanaiisin nila suportahan ‘yong aming maging collection ay ma-i-share natin kahit isang pamilya lang matulungan, makapagbahagi tayo kung anong meron. Na-inspire ako sa kanila dahil very positive ang kanilang pagtugon sa aking panawagan kung pwede mag-share,” Parco said.
Some 172 of the 300 PDLs in Inagawan are devout Catholics.
Following the mass, PDLs collected approximately P1,300 through their efforts. “Maliit lang ‘yong halaga pero na-inspire ako – during that mass, medyo maliit pa ‘yong collection pero natuwa ako sapagka’t meron pa na ‘sige father, magdo-donate pa kami para mabuo natin ‘yong ating mabibigay’. Very positive ‘yong kanilang approach sa pagbabahagi, natuwa ako. Iyon nga tinuturo natin sa ating reformation program sa kanila, hindi lang sila tagatanggap ng biyaya, kung hindi sila ay gifted to give,” he said.
Fr. Parco said that when Odette hammered the province, the PDLs evacuated from the camp. He expressed surprise that the PDLs responded to the call to share.
“Sila rin, totoong nangangailangan pero laging bukas pa rin para sa pag-share ng kung ano mang pagpapala para sa kanilang kapwa. Kaya sana ay magkaroon din ng pagbabago sa pagtingin sa ating mga kapatid na nasa bilangguan — these people are really capable of loving, they are capable of giving,” he said.
“Magkano lang naman ang kanilang nalikom but it’s not about the amount but their generosity talaga mula sa puso. ‘Yong willingness to share, to give na kahit piso, dos, pinagsama-sama, kayang-kaya na makatulong sa mas nangangailangan,” he added.
Fr. Parco also added some amount to the collection before it was turned over to Rommel Cruz of Outland Palawan, who is also running a donation drive for some affected areas in the city.
“Siguro, isa rin nakaka-inspire sa kanila ay ‘yong mga patuloy na tumutulong sa ating donation drives for them. Maybe, this also, sa realization ko lang, nakaka-inspire sa kanila na sila rin ay magbahagi. Sapagkat sila ay hindi lang tumatanggap kung hindi sila ay mag-share kung ano man meron sila,” he said.
“Kailangan lang natin na itong mgs PDL natin na naghahangad magbagong-buhay at makalaya ay makita rin natin na itong mga taong ito ay nais din magmahal, nais din magbahagi ng kung anong meron sila. Sana ma-inspire tayo, Christmas season pa rin naman ngayon,” he added.
Flooding in Inagawan Subcolony reached waist-deep, forcing PDLs to abandon their possessions in order to evacuate to the San Isidro Labrador Chaplaincy, where around 600 PDLs spent the night, he added.
The PDLs are also in need of any donations such as food, kitchen utensils, and hygiene kits for their use inside the prison.
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