ASSISTANCE. Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy (right) and New Bataan Mayor Balbin (middle) thank the mayors of Bohol represented by Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco (left) for the PHP 2 million worth of financial assistance to the victims of typhoon Pablo. Carmen Mayor Che delos Reyes and Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Neri Lim also visited the area Friday. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
A daughter-in-law comes to the defense of controversial Bohol Mayor:
Not just our Tatay, but the Tatay of Maribojoc
Jasmen Delola-Evasco
Davao Today
I had the chance to talk briefly over the phone with my father-in-law yesterday: Tatay Jun to us but Mayor Tuloy Evasco, to the people of Maribojoc, Bohol. Despite his very toxic and busy schedule now, he still managed to call and greet his youngest apo and our youngest son Insoy on his second birthday.
After Tatay and Nanay greeted Insoy, I asked them if they were okay and particularly about the confrontation with the Red Cross and how some other people could not accept the way he handles the disaster management in Maribojoc.
I may not be a reliable person to talk about him but I am very proud to say that Mayor Evasco is one public official along with a few ones that would show that there is still hope amid the very rotten system of Philippine politics.
For those who do not know, he left his family here in Davao (his wife and three children) last 2006 to come home to Maribojoc with only one purpose in mind, that is to help his hometown. Matud pa niya panahon na nga ang Maribojoc na pud ang iyang tabangan. (He said it is time that he will help Maribojoc this time). Even if Tatay was not and still not vocal about it, we all knew it was not an easy road to take. A lot doubted his true intentions for running as Mayor.
For those who do not know, his career in public service is so long (not the customary road taken by traditional politicians). He was a former priest, a revolutionary and political detainee during Martial law who fought against the dictatorship of Marcos and a trusted ally of Mayor Rody Duterte for so many years in doing good governance in Davao City. One thing for sure, ask around, ask the people of Davao, ask his friends, his colleagues, his former comrades, his acquaintances, those who know him, they have high regards and respect for tatay.
Ever since he became the Mayor of Maribojoc, he had made so much development to this town. Major achievement of which was the potable water system for the town and titling of their lands. He received Galing Pook award and a Seal of Good Housekeeping award twice.
The magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit the province of Bohol and neighboring provinces in the Visayas left so much damage. Many are hungry and thirsty, many lost their houses, and many are sick which led to his decision to take the full responsibility to help the Maribojocanons by all means.
As an opposition to the provincial government of Bohol, he was not given any aid from the province. This forced him to get help from friends and other concerned groups. Daku ang iyang nahimong pasalamat nga daghan hinabang ang naabot sa Maribojoc gikan sa mga higala, nagkalain-laing grupo, indibidwal ug uban pa. Wala pud siyay gibalibaran sa mga hinabang nga nangabot ug muabot pa. (He is very grateful for all the help extended to Maribojoc from friends, groups and individuals. He hasn’t refused any help and will not refuse future ones.)
But he is very firm on his stance “CENTRALIZE ALL RELIEF OPERATIONS SO IT WILL BE EQUITABLE TO ALL.” Buot pasabot isentro ang tanang hinabang aron maapod-apod nga sakto ug igo sa tanang katawhan sa Maribojoc bisan sa lagyong mga barangay. (That means, all relief should be centralized and divided equally to the people of barangay including those in far-flung areas). Sounds very epal to hear, right? Very impossible to believe nga pwede na mahitabo (that this would happen). Very, very hard to accept especially the sad reality that the Philippine government system is really corrupt (Do I need to say more? Napoles issue epal na baboy for one).
The situation even became more complicated because of the coming barangay elections; other areas from other towns really used the relief goods as “campaign materials” for the election. Disgusting! But in this time of hardship, the Mayor has no choice but to be firm on this decision. If he would not make the command and just allow everyone to go to Maribojoc doing their own relief, chaos would set in. Relief goods and medical aid would not be even handed to everyone especially to the hard to reach areas.
I personally had a brief experience how it is when there is no organization from the LGU handling the systematic distribution of relief goods. This scenario happened to Pablo victims in Compostela Valley last year. Makaluluoy gayud kaayu ang mga biktima sa kalamidad (The victims of calamities were, indeed, pitiful.)
That is why I totally understand Tatay Jun’s position very well, apart from the fact that I trust him and his goodness. But I also recognize that there would be negative comments, would throw hateful reactions, would bash, etc. Totally understandable, because again we are all very pessimistic to a lot of traditional politicians. Believe it or not, naa pay nagpabiling tarong, ang (there are still good people around who have remained and that is the) Mayor sa Maribojoc.
For those who want to know the real score, have time and money, go to Maribojoc, observe or ask if you can’t go. The most systematic and organized relief operations they have in Bohol now is in the town of Maribojoc. Bisan giipit sa provincial government, walay paghubas ang mga tabang nga nangabot, nga wala nagreklamo sa ilang pamaagi ug nakasabot tungod kay nakaila ug nagsalig kay Tatay Jun. (Even with the pressure from the provincial government, there’s no end to people who will help, who will not complain of his methods because they know and trust Tatay Jun.)
At the end of the day, kung wala na ang Red Cross, kung wala na ang mga NGO, wala na ang mga individual relief efforts ug uban pa, ang nagpabiling anaa sa Maribojoc sa kanunay nga magtinabangay ug magpabalik og pabarug ug bangon walay lain kundili ang katawhan ug ang ilang lider si Tatay Jun, Si Mayor Tuloy Evasco. (At the end of the day, when the Red Cross is gone, if there are no more NGO, the individual relief efforts and more, the only one in Maribojoc who will remain in helping and restoring their houses, would be the people and their leader in Tatay Jun. Mayor Tuloy Evasco).
Para kanimo Tatay Jun, awayon ka man sa mga kalaban sa pulitika, sa mga tawo nga angayan pang pasabton, sa mga ahensya sa gobyerno ug uban pa, kami imong pamilya anaa kanunay nagpangga ug nagsuporta. Kabalo ko nga pati ang mayorya sa katawhan sa Maribojoc mao usab ang pagtanaw ug baruganan. Padayon Tay! Dugang Kadasig sa imong tinuod nga pag-alagad sa katawhan! (For you Tatay Jun, if you get hit by your enemies in politics and for all those people who need to know, including the government agencies, we, your family, fully love and support you. I know that the majority of the people of Maribojoc are also behind you. Onward Tatay, continue to truly serve the people!) (davaotoday.com)
By TYRONE A. VELEZ
Davao Today
DAVAO CITY — Maribojoc town mayor Leoncio ‘Jun’ Evasco clarified his position in barring the Philippine National Red Cross from distributing relief packs in his quake-torn town in Bohol, saying he was all for centralization of the relief effort while at the same time shunning dole-outs.
In a phone interview with Davao Today, the former chief of staff of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said, “I’m not against the Red Cross for they have their role. What I’m against at is having people think they are Messiah, that they are arrogant and use the people’s misery for their political interest.”
“We don’t want to become dependent on relief. That’s not the principle I want from the people. Community development should be about making people responsible for themselves and think of ways to solve their problems,” Mayor Evasco added.
Evasco earlier had an altercation with Red Cross President Richard Gordon. Red Cross secretary general Gwen Pang reportedly confirmed that Evasco stopped them from relief distribution and demanded that they instead hand over the relief goods to the local government.
“The Red Cross team came on Thursday and wanted a list of the residents. But we explained we can’t give this immediately as we had our hands full attending to the dead and injured, and also our computers,” Evasco told Davao Today.
But the Red Cross team pressed on with their relief mission causing a commotion among residents.
“I warned them about this, but they refused to listen. There was even an elderly who got hurt,” Evasco recalled.
“I wanted an equitable manner of distributing goods, so that everyone gets their share. So it was important to centralize their relief to us, because our people on the ground know the conditions,” he explained.
Both Evasco and Gordon exchanged words on that incident.
He added that at this time he doesn’t want to make enemies.
“At this time of calamities, we need to unite. I need all the friends I can find. And not make enemies. But those who cannot help, please stop raising protests and respect us,” Evasco said.
Afraid to go home
A week after the earthquake leveled their houses and destroyed roads and its bridge, folks of Maribojoc town in Bohol are still afraid to go back to their houses as aftershocks are still happening.
“No one still wants to go back to their homes; there are still aftershocks,” said the third-termer mayor.
Many of the town’s 20,459 residents are living in tents and evacuation centers, as city engineers are assessing the damages of their houses, including Evasco’s house that was partially damaged.
“They (the engineers) have to check which houses are stable, and which ones can no longer be salvaged and have to be demolished,” Evasco said.
He added that, “Even I am afraid to go back to my house.”
Evasco is now residing at his brother’s house, but most of his time now is tied up to the temporary operation center in the town’s fire department taking charge of the town’s post-disaster management.
Evasco added that all efforts are made to help relief efforts, with priests, barangay officials and volunteers monitoring and ensuring residents are given relief goods.
“Our problem has been food, we are now dependent on relief,” Evasco said, saying the best they did is to “involve everyone to ensure an organized relief effort”.
The mayor said the collapse of the town’s bridge and crumbling of the roads has hindered relief efforts from reaching the town.
“You can only reach the town by helicopter or by the river, which is quite deep at 30 meters,” he said.
But he said the Department of Public Works and Highways and volunteer engineers have been working to restore the main road in Abacan.
“This is the first time we got hit by such a big earthquake. Usually it’s the typhoons that hit us. But this one has destroyed everything. Everything is ground zero in Maribojoc,” Evasco said.
He said even the historic church in Maribojoc, “a place where many people held baptisms, weddings and funerals, has been destroyed.” He added.
He said they recorded 19 dead and 30 injured during the calamity.
“We need all the help we can get. I’m still mulling what plans to propose to the national government,” he told Davao Today.
Jumpstart
One proposal he wanted to raise is for banks to provide soft-loans for housing projects especially for the poor.
“We need a jumpstart such as rebuilding their houses, for without houses there won’t be a sustained rebuilding ahead,” he said.
Evasco said he was grateful by the relief coming from fellow Boholanos “and those who sincerely identified with our pain.”
He is also wanted to extend thanks to Davao City officials and civic groups who donated relief goods and money, citing that City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte went to Maribojoc to turn over P 1-million cash assistance.
“I am thankful that there are people who did not forget, those from the civic groups, churches and the City Council for allocating for our town P1-million out of the P18.5 million donation to Bohol. And to former Mayor Inday Sara who brought three choppers full of relief,” Evasco said. (davaotoday.com)
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