BANTAYAN ISLAND, Philippines—Cheers and high spirits are felt in a gym in the town of Santa Fe one rainy day in September as child-victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) learned how to play football.
The children were taught the sport no less by members of the Philippine Azkals. The mood inside the gym was upbeat and it was as if the young typhoon survivors have forgotten the trauma caused by Yolanda’s lashing winds and torrential rains. They seemed to have been recovering 10 months after the powerful storm.
“The school is helping her cope but whenever [my daughter] hears raindrops, loud thunder and strong winds, her fears come back,” said 38-year-old Jingle Ilustrisimo, mother to 10-year-old Regine.
“Sometimes she’s still like that. She says, ‘Ma, what’s that?’ and I tell her not to worry and it’s not the same as Yolanda,” she said.
For Santa Fe Mayor Jose Esgana, football would make the child typhoon victims feel they were not abandoned.
“The found new friends. This new type of activity like football they would feel they were not left behind and there are people willing to help,” he said.
He was also excited about the possibility that the next player of the Azkals could come from this town.
“It doesn’t help only for sports but this one gives them in what we call paglaum or hope in Bisaya. This will give them something to do and it’s also an activity that they would feel empowered,” he said.
Prudence Foundation, the charitable arm of British insurer Pru Like UK, organized the football clinic on Sept. 1 for the children of Santa Fe.
About 40 children were taught the basic drills in football by Azkals members Eduard Sacapano, Jeffrey Christiaen, Roel Jener, Nestor Margase, Joshua Beloya, and Joaquin Cañas. Marielle Benitez of Malditas, the Philippine women’s national football team, was also at the event.
“First of all we are a British company and football is an upcoming sport in the Philippines. It is a British thing and we thought of identifying ourselves and helping and giving resources to further expand football,” said Antonio de Rosas, Pru Life UK President and Chief Executive Officer.
“To get really good talent you have to really scour the country. Maybe here in Bantayan where we are doing CSR work, there might be potential for some to become members of the national team,” he added.
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