Typhoon Ondoy Hits IJA

        Like most areas of Marikina, Typhoon Ondoy; also hit IJA. But the school community was not hit by the rains nor winds of the typhoon itself but was hit with the RED spirit of being responsible for the welfare of others.

        On Saturday morning, September 26, there were many students and teachers at IJA because athletes and their supporters attended the opening ceremonies and games of the MARIPRISAA Sportsfest held in Marist School. There were also classes which were busy preparing for the Math Week celebration that was supposed to be held the following Monday. Typhoon Signal No. 1 was raised in Metro Manila, but nobody really paid much attention.

        At around 10:30 a.m., it became clear that this was no ordinary storm. Teachers and students of IJA who were at the Marist School started sending text messages that they needed to be fetched by a big vehicle because they could not safely cross the flooded streets anymore. There were no drivers at that time so our school administrator drove the school coaster to fetch students and teachers who were stranded in Marist, and they were brought back to IJA. At the end of the day, more than 70 students and teachers had to spend the night in IJA, together with more than 20 orphans of the Meritxell Home in SSS Village which was also flooded. There were some families from the flooded neighboring areas who sought shelter in the school as well. School authorities were caught unprepared so they requested for food to be delivered in IJA for the people who were stranded there.

        As early as Sunday, IJA faculty members and staff started to monitor the situation of teachers, students and other members of the school community who were probably affected by the calamity. By Monday, September 29, volunteers composed of IJA administrators, teachers, students, staff and alumni organized a food and clothes brigade to cook hot meals, gather donations and distribute relief goods for affected IJA families, faculty members, staff and other employees. Pledges of support from the IJA-Antipolo and IJA-Kalibo parents and faculty strengthened the resolve of volunteers to push on.

        Gathering, packing and distribution of relief goods continued throughout the whole week even after classes resumed last October 5. Help started to come from the parents and students in the school communities of IJA Marikina, Antipolo and Kalibo. Many parents in IJA Marikina, some of them flood victims themselves, brought food and clothes and some even donated cash which were used for the cooked meals and to buy more rice, canned goods and other necessities, distributed as relief packs. The IJA Antipolo school community donated P50,140.00 plus around 15 boxes of clothes, food, rice and other items. The IJA Kalibo school community raised a total of P84,370.00 coming from parents, the IJA faculty, the student council, and some friends. In addition, around 13 boxes of relief goods were sent all the way from Aklan coming from donations of the IJA-Kalibo school community. Personal friends of IJA school administrators donated medicines, clothes, food and other items.

        IJA volunteers went to communities in Malanday, Sto. Niño, Lamuan, San Roque, Calumpang, Fairlane, Balubad, Twinville, Nangka, Tumana, St. Mary, Doña Petra, Twin Rivers, Camacho, San Mateo, Montalban, Cainta and Pasig to give out packed food, clothes, water and other needed items to affected members of the IJA community as well as other people in depressed communities. Cash assistance was provided to faculty and staff members who were severely affected by the typhoon. The affected students who lost their books and other school materials like their ID's will be further assisted through the donations which were gathered from all the generous individuals who helped.

        Several evacuation centers were also visited for distribution of relief goods and cooked meals. The IJA volunteers partnered with such groups as St. Paul of the Cross, Singles for Christ, the Puso sa Puso Foundation of Fr. Archie, Pastor Odie Francisco of Jehoshua School, The McKinley Hill School of Batangas City, Palmera Centro Association, the Marikina City Government and personal friends in this effort. They also partnered with the Lion's Club of Marikina and some members of the Batangas City Medical Society together with McKinley School of Batangas in conducting a medical mission in the temporary evacuation site in Twinville Subdivision. The IJA school community reached out as well to affected faculty members and staff in other private schools in Marikina like St. Nicholas, Jericho Christian Learning Center, and Divine Mercy School, Happy Victory School.

        At the end of it all, a volunteer sums up all these efforts through a text message sent to co-workers: "When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them. When you're happy and feels blessed, remember someone has prayed for you too. Life is all about sharing and giving". Once again, the members of the IJA family was given the opportunity to share with others and feel the joy in giving. May the spirit of HOPE brought by the Infant Jesus in the Manger bring PEACE and JOY in our lives as we help one another in rebuilding our community.