MARIVELES, BATAAN – The stormy winds and heavy rains may have long gone, but the spirit of volunteerism remains steadfast and ignites even brighter as GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co.’s (GNPD) volunteers celebrated their birthdays with the unsung heroes of Super Typhoon Carina last July 30, 2024.
For this month’s run of Project Saysay, the six employee volunteers from GNPD’s Maintenance, Settlements and Warranty, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Executive Departments chose to extend their birthday celebrations with the 77 volunteers from Brgy. Alasasin. These volunteers from the Barangay Health Office, Barangay Public Safety Office, and Barangay Coordinators braved the widespread flooding and rains across the barangay to give aid to more than 200 families who were affected and brought to the evacuation areas.
Held at Romalaine’s Seafood Restaurant, all the volunteers, along with their families, were invited for a well-deserved rest day – a day where they can just relax and enjoy with their families, as the volunteers spent the day with them.
Before starting the program, some of GNPD’s volunteers shared some heartfelt messages to all the volunteers. Leo Bruijnooge, Manager of the Maintenance Department, said, “As always, it takes a whole family and a whole community to keep the volunteerism going. Thank you for sacrificing for your community, for us being part of your community, and for your family. Thank you for doing that for now, in the future, and always.”
GNPD Deputy Plant Manager Young Comaad, also shared his gratitude for all the volunteers during the super typhoon. “We are greatly honored na nakikita namin kung paano kayo lumabas sa inyong mga bahay para tumulong sa mga emergency, kagaya ng Typhoon Carina,” he said. “Kaagapay ninyo ang GNPD sa bawat darating na pagsubok sa ating bayan.”
The volunteers played classic Pinoy party games, such as Hep Hep Hooray! and Bring Me!, led by GNPD’s Community Relations team, and all joined together for a boodle fight. After the feast, the barangay volunteers all sang “Happy Birthday” to the celebrants turned Project Saysay volunteers. They also got a chance to sing karaoke songs and swim together with their families, capping off the day with a reward for all their hard work in rescuing the affected families and braving the damages brought upon by Super Typhoon Carina.
Brgy. Alasasin was one of the 3,581 barangays in the Philippines* that was greatly affected by the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina, with over 200 families brought to evacuation centers and reporting an estimated Php 73,536 in damages in agriculture.
Miles Sendon, OIC of Brgy. Alasasin, shared how the undying dedication of volunteers made a huge difference in handling the effects of Super Typhoon Carina. “Thank you so much sa walang sawang pagtulong sa oras ng pangangailangan. Doon pa lang ay napapatunayan natin ‘yung pagkakaisa ng ating barangay sa pagtulong sa mga nangangailangan.”
Capping off the event was a message from GNPD Associate Vice President for Community Relations, Arcel Madrid, to thank the volunteers for their hard work. “TuIad po ng ginawa ninyong pagtulong, ginagawa po natin ito dahil alam natin na kaya natin itong gawin. Ito pong Project Saysay ay result lamang po ng kabutihan na ginawa ninyo nung nakaraang linggo.”
Every month, GNPD gathers employees who will celebrate their birthdays to encourage them to choose a beneficiary to share their birthdays with. Since then, Project Saysay has reached a total of 1,562 individuals and 998 communities across the province of Bataan.
True enough, there are no storms strong enough to founder the spirit of unity and volunteerism in the community. No matter how strong the winds hit or the rain falls, a helping hand reaching out to those in need makes all the difference in our community.