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MAIDEN ISSUE Saturday June 25, 2005 | Special Issue

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CP Don visits Bgy. Masambong, meets with barangay officials

► How Bgy. Masambong got its name

► What the club's FIRST "official act" should be

► Consultative Meeting to be held next week

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How Bgy. Masambong got its name

It was gathered that Bgy. Masambong got its name from the abundance of sambong plants in the area many years ago. Sambong (Blumea Balsamifera) or camphor plant is a medicinal herb beneficial to the kidney and gall bladder. It is presently recognized by medical authorities world-wide, and is available commercially and internationally in tea-bags, tablets and capsule form.

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What the club's FIRST "official act" should be

Presently, however, not even a single sambong tree can be found in the barangay, so it was agreed that the first official act of RC Masambong is to bring back the sambong plant to the barangay. It can then be propagated in pots, wherever possible.

A commercial-scale cultivation can later be explored outside of the barangay, and the production of Sambong  tea and/or in capsule form can be later pursued as a project of a locally organized cooperative or self-help organization among indigent families, possibly with Rotarian funding support.

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Consultative Meeting to be held next week

After discussing the more immediate concerns that beset the barangay, in view of the coming rainy season, it was agreed that a consultative meeting together with barangay officials and community leaders from the affected areas will be held  the following Friday, July 1, at 3:00 p.m. It was agreed that exact information will be made available so that the club can plan to make its immediate activities relevant to the people's needs.

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President's Message

Sun, 19 Jun 2005

"A call for preparedness"

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Dear Charter Officers and members,

Barangay Masambong in the first district of Quezon City was assigned by Centennial District Governor George L. Howard to our club before he left for the Centennial Convention in Chicago. This is in line with his policy of having one Rotary club adopt one specific barangay in Quezon City, so that there could be a degree of focus and consistency in the delivery of service projects to the community.

It is the usual practice that with 93 Rotary clubs in Quezon City most "overlap" in delivering services to some barangays, oftentimes without coordinating their efforts with each other. Some barangays have five or even more clubs doing service activities within their territory. Ironically, however, we discovered that there are still a few barangays that have never been visited by a single Rotary club through all these years. Barangay Masambong is one of three or four such barangays in district one. This was confirmed when I had an interview with the Kapitana Enyang last week.

It was pointed out in our discussions that Bgy. Masambong has one high school and two elementary schools in the area. Its depressed communities happen to be beside a creek, and are situated so low that they immediately experience flooding during heavy rains.

Let us try our best to be pro-active in addressing the welfare needs of Bgy. Masambong, as much as possible before these needs would even arise. To help achieve this, we will conduct a "Quick H.E.L.P. Check" Survey, which will gather relevant information on the areas of Health, Environment management, Livelihood, and People's participation, in specific target areas. We will be doing this survey per household by clusters. The most immediate concern, of course, is the constant evacuation of affected families during typhoons.

What are the prevalent illnesses, who and how many are afflicted? How many are children among those affected? How is hygiene and sanitation maintained? Where can beautification still be encouraged? Where can medicinal plants still possibly cultivated? What is the poverty incidence in the area? How many are jobless? What possible micro-economic activities are feasible and can be sustained in the area? What degree of involvement does the poor have in the conduct of their affairs - through religious, sectoral, cause-oriented, civilian volunteer and other grass roots organizations in the area? Are there cooperatives, micro-lending initiatives, NGOs and other civic groups doing community outreach programs in the area?

Trouble-spots will likewise be the area of focus. What specific areas are always affected by the rising flood waters every year? How many families are normally affected? Where are the nearest evacuation centers? What emergency, health and hygiene facilities are available to them?

This need not be an intensive survey. As soon as sufficient data are established, ideally in ten days time, we will set in place short-term "Quick Reaction" programs to make readily available packs of food, medicine, blanket and clothing should families be evacuated to the nearest school buildings during the height of the coming rainy season. We would be definitely needing YOUR help, maybe in terms of soliciting donations in cash and in kind.

After we have achieved an acceptable level of readiness in addressing anticipated disaster needs, we will continue to address the medium-term requirements that would be established by the "Quick HELP Check" Survey. This would basically revolve on organizing a Rotary Community Corps (RCCs) in the area. Other initiatives would then be coursed through the RCCs, with the active involvement of the target-beneficiaries themselves.

So much had to be done in so short a time. But the Filipino "bayanihan spirit" always prevails and makes the burden lighter, that tasks doable and easier, and success achievable.

Let us reach out to our friends, even to those abroad. I hope to see our club enliven itself as the needs of our less fortunate brethren in Bgy. Masambong become more and more apparent in view of the coming typhoons.

Anticipating your participation and active support in the coming activities that we will be required to do, as we face the adversities that our changing seasons regularly bring.

Rtn. Don Flordeliza

Charter President

Rotary Club of Masambong, District 3780

Webmaster, Proposed Rotary EClubONE3780

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