Tony Veloso

Inangatan, Tabango, West Leyte

March-April 2014

Area:  96.62  km2

Population:  Approx. 33,000 

Admired for its pristine, coastal landscape, and as a gateway to the interna-tionally known islands of Kalanggaman and Malapascua, this rural community lost an entirety of its livelihood when the Super Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan struck the province ferociously on November 8, 2013. Around 800 homes in the barangay were heavily damaged, if not totally destroyed. Seventy percent of the coconut trees collapsed, and those remaining will not bear fruit in the next two years. If replanted, the trees will take seven years to grow.

After the storm, our group was able to gather and distribute food to the affected families. We disseminated blankets, banig mats, clothing, slippers, flashlights, and other basic necessities.  

Construction equipment and materials, such as hammers, saws, pliers, bolo knives, screwdrivers, spades, buckets, assorted nails, tarps and more, were provided. Fallen coconut trees were allotted to families to help them rebuild temporary shelters. We also reinstalled the marketplace to spur up the economy of the town. We continue to feed the children on a regular basis, and succeeded in offering an early Christmas party to the barrio folks, including over two hundred children ages 3 to 9 as a humble gesture to bring ease and emotional comfort to the families.

Our group is currently in the process of reconstructing homes, and relocating about a hundred fisher folks and their families from the coast to higher and safer ground. Their present location is unsafe, and has been declared a landslide zone. Another storm that may hit the area would undoubtedly result not only to colossal damage of properties, but also grave loss of lives. In supporting our efforts, we would like to ask for your gracious donations and contributions to help us relocate and rebuild approximately a hundred homes for the desperate families of Tabango. Each house of 14-16 sq m in area will cost approximately one hundred thousand pesos.

Share with us your support to bring back joy, comfort and elegance to this precious town of Leyte.One Hundred Homes for Barangay Inangatan

Please send check donations to Ateneo Alumni Association

c/o AAA Office, Alingal Hall

Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1108

Attn: Jose Antonio K Veloso, 

c/o Ms Eva Estrera

Or by telegraphic transfer to ATENEO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

Account No. 00-053-000679-0 Union bank of the Philippines, Acropolis Branch

SWIFT CODE: UBPHPHMM