Story and Photos by Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga
CST-R Community Extension and Development Office (CEDO) bridges hundreds of donors and beneficiaries through the “Abag Recoleto” Calamity Relief Operations this January 2021.
After villages in San Carlos City were flooded, CEDO reached at least 300 households in Barangays I, V and Rizal. Donations were from hundreds of donors including Thomasian parents and guardians, students, alumni, the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity-San Carlos City, private benefactors and the Thomasian faculty and staff.
CEDO with Thomasian staff and CST-R Team Event alumni reached 150 flood victims in Barangay I last January 22, 2021. The distribution of relief bags was in the barangay covered court. Meanwhile, 80 flood victims in Barangay V were given relief goods at the Barangay Hall with the help of Punong Barangay Ruth Aba (January 25, 2021).
With the support of the local Arcores (Augustinian Recollect Solidarity Network) director Rev. Fr. Vicente Ramon, Jr., OAR, CEDO collected, packed and distributed noodles, canned goods, biscuits, coffee and milk powder and toiletries. The goods were for residents in San Carlos City who were all struck by how fast the water rose after hours of heavy rain on the evening of January 18, 2021.
The San Carlos City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and the Barangay I Punong Barangay Toto Lopez and his council also gave CEDO safety and security support.
CEDO is the community outreach office of CST-R which was established only in 2020. Among its programs are Abag Recoleto— calamity response operation—and G.U.G.M.A. which aims to adopt and help develop a remote public school within San Carlos City. Rev. Fr. Monday Benjamine Edobor, OAR is the current CEDO director.
