No ‘standouts’ in quake aid

GUIHULNGAN, Negros Oriental—A group of volunteers from Cebu came to the province to distribute relief goods to earthquake victims on one condition—that they remain anonymous.

“I’m Sally,” the group’s leader said.

“My last name is not important and you don’t even have to place my name in your story because we’re taught not to be standouts,” said Sally.

Two weeks ago, the group accompanied four 20-foot container vans filled with various items for distribution to beneficiaries in the quake-stricken areas of Guihulngan City and the towns of La Libertad and Jimalalud.

What they wanted known about them was that they belong to a charitable organization called the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation.

The name is Buddhist but the members are a mixed group of Roman Catholics, Buddhists, Muslims and followers of other religions, scattered in more than 50 chapters worldwide.

Each of the preidentified 2,114 families from the three areas received one 20-kilogram bag of rice, a thermal blanket, a family-size mat, a pack of used clothing, laundry soap, alcohol gel, plates, tumblers, eating utensils, mineral water and noodles.

The rice and blankets came from Taiwan, where the world headquarters of the Tzu Chi Foundation is located, while the rest were donated by business establishments and Tzu Chi members.

Nida, a volunteer for the last five years, explained that before the beneficiaries received the relief goods, they had to listen to a two-hour lecture on the group’s teachings.

“They are the best gift we can offer another person,” she said.

The lecture teaches the recipient how to be grateful, to entertain only good thoughts, speak good words and show good deeds “because in life, we believe in cause and effect,” she said.

The earthquake victims were also taught the value of recycling and how to help other people by imparting blessings and wisdom.

Franklin, a volunteer in charge of crowd control, said that before they mobilized their resources, they did a site assessment to determine the needs of disaster victims.

“We determine if they need help. We only give assistance when poor people are affected,” he said.

Aside from distributing relief goods to those in need, the Tzu Chi Foundation also conducts medical missions.