Issue 4, August 2014
Editor’s Note
S
everal months after the onslaught of the Category 5 Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), the country, particularly the Visayas, is still recovering from the devastations the super typhoon wrought. Our churches were not spared by this catastrophe. Typhoon Yolanda’s footprints left 174 of our church buildings/facilities damaged or even destroyed. Some church structures were battered to the ground that one who has not seen these before the storm would think there were no such buildings ever erected in the same areas. Yet, just as the Filipino spirit remains unsinkable, the PGCAG churches rise up and hurdle the challenge of rebuilding in the aftermath of Yolanda. God stirred the hearts of many to pour out help making possible the rehabilitation of these affected churches. While there is still a lot that remains to be done, the reconstruction efforts show that true fellowship and unity can really achieve much. This ENGAGED Magazine issue showcases the strength of the Assemblies of God rising together after the storm. The pictures, other than showing powerfully the indomitable spirit of our brethren in the face of the havoc, magnify how the unity of our churches can help us rise together after the surge. Blessings! Sur del Rosario Editor-in-Chief
The Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Editorial Support Staff Layout Artist Consultants Adviser
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Sur del Rosario Jilmer Cariaga Mary Arlene Chua-del Rosario, Evelyn Anden, Adsville de Leon Patrick Tan Rey Calusay, Joseph Suico, Alex Fuentes, Rene Cagadas Alex Fuentes
ENGAGED Magazine | Strength Through the Surge
Table of Contents Why Do We Rebuild? Overcoming the Challenges of Rebuilding
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The Aftermath
4 6 8
PGCAG’s Post-Yolanda Response Operation PGCAG Disaster Response Team Helps Typhoon Glenda Victims Too Basic Procedure When Disaster Strikes
Announcements 75th Anniversary of the Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God
April 28-May 1, 2015, Manila. A must gathering for all PGCAG pastors, leaders and members. Let’s come and celebrate together!
Advance Renewal Program (ARP)
The 2015 Advance Renewal Program (ARP) for all Ordained Ministers in good standing with PGCAG is now ongoing. Please contact your respective district offices for your 2015 Credentials Renewal Forms and for any inquiry on this.
Contact Us Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God (PGCAG, Inc.) Website: www.pgcag.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ pgcagofficial PGCAG Secretariat Telephone: (02) 292.6613; (02) 294.6136 Mobile: 0908.8217812 (Smart), 0917.7965025 (Globe), 0932.8620336 (Sun) Email: PGCAGoffice@gmail.com
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“T
his is a wasteland.” So I thought.
Traveling 48 hours from Manila to Tacloban by land, our team was welcomed by the rubbles and dead bodies on the other side of San Juanico Bridge, highly esteemed for its engineering that connects the two Island provinces, Samar and Leyte. It was like we’re entering a production set of an apocalyptic movie. What we saw was the horrors left behind by a very destructive natural disaster. We have reached the ground zero of the wrath of the super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), the strongest typhoon that ever hit the planet earth last year. The surge bulldozed structures and stacked the rubbles by the highway. That moment I was witnessing was nerve-wracking. I was shocked to see dead bodies on the streets. Those who were alive were people like walking dead roaming to and fro in every direction. You can sense at that moment that survivors were either looking for the bodies of their loved ones, or seeking out food ration.
Seeing a massive destruction like that, one can hardly imagine how and where to start rebuilding. Even district officers, pastors and church leaders were not spared from Haiyan’s wrath. On the other hand, PGCAG, with the help and partnership of other Assemblies of God organizations, churches, and adherents worldwide, responded to the needs of those who fell victims to Yolanda. Despite being overwhelmed by the sight of a city reduced to rubbles, I was there with the PGCAG team to help in any way in rebuilding or rehabilitating. It was a tall order but it has to be done. These are the challenges we encountered on the ground and how our team managed them.
Photo: Ptr. Den Mark Matiga, pastor of Camansihay Full Gospel Assembly in Tacloban City, with the reconstruction of the church building in the background.
The gravity of destruction Super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) brought colossal destruction that no humanitarian organization was able to respond just by itself. Every disaster response organization was overwhelmed by the magnitude of devastation and fatalities. It took a concerted effort of all organizations to respond to the gargantuan tasks. Still, our team had to rise above so many challenges. Constrained local responders Survivors who rushed to help were also restricted by their own loss. In Eastern Visayas District, for example, even our district officers were also survivors of the calamity. Some of them had to bury church members who died in the surge. Mobilizing them at the time of their grief may have been insensitive to a certain point. PGCAG leadership commissioned individuals to gather data of affected churches and families and to perform damage assessments on infrastructures such as churches, parsonages and Sunday school buildings. The logistical challenges Logistics under such situation was a nightmare. Coordination across all levels was a major challenge. PGCAG organized rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts with the local teams organized by the affected districts. Limited resources There was an influx of support from all over the world, allowing the rehabilitation and rebuilding of damaged structures. Eight months after the typhoon, Continued on page 8
Strength Through the Surge | ENGAGED Magazine
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The Aftermath
A
fter the arduous task of assessing the typhoon afflicted areas, PGCAG has documented at least 174 churches damaged/destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda. The number does not include the damaged/destroyed parsonages and Sunday School buildings yet. The extent of rehabilitation to these structures varies from minor repair to total reconstruction. There are also few churches that had to be relocated because of the latest government declaration “NO-BUILD ZONE” 40 meters from the shoreline.
NORTH WESTERN VISAYAS
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66 Churcches Affected
Anointed Savior Christian Fellowship, Kalibo, Aklan
Jesus Christ Assembly Mission, Dumalag, Capiz
Linampongan Assembly of God, Pontevedra, Capiz
Jesus the Living Stone AG, Numancia, Aklan
WESTERN VISAYAS
50 Churches Affected
Community Christian Center AG, Malabor, Antique
Lemery Assembly of God, Lemery, Iloilo
Granada Assembly of God, Carles, Iloilo
Sara Christian Fellowship, Sara, Iloilo
ENGAGED Magazine | Strength Through the Surge
The Philippines
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
Maranatha Assembly of God, Sagay City, NO
Yolanda-Hit Assemblies of God Churches 70
The Visayas, Central Philippines
60
50
40
30
20
8 19
32
Partially Damaged
34
Destroyed/Heavily Damaged
28 22
10
0
15 EVDC
EVDC
WVDC
WVDC
NWVDC
NWVDC
6
5
5
CVLL
NODC
CVLLDC
NODC
EASTERN VISAYAS
27 Churches Affected
Path o Yoland f Typhoon a (Haiy an)
11 Churches Affected
Paitan Assembly of God, Escalante City, NO
Julita Assembly of God, Julita, Leyte
Living Word Ministries AG, Tacloban City, Leyte
San Roque Assembly of God, Sta. Fe, Leyte
Tacloban Full Gospel Assembly, Tacloban City, Leyte
CENTRAL VISAYAS - LOWER LEYTE
Anapog Assembly of God Church, Toledo City, Cebu
20 Churches Affected
Promise Keeper Christian Assembly, Asturias, Cebu
Strength Through the Surge | ENGAGED Magazine
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PGCAG’s Post-Yolanda Response Operation hand, includes tarpaulin, sleeping mat, mosquito net, and nylon rope. Here’s what PGCAG efforts provided to the affected families in the respective provinces:
Phase 1 - Relief
A
s initial response to the damage created by Typhoon Yolanda, PGCAG mobilized response teams and brought relief aid to the survivors in Leyte, Samar, Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Antique and Northern Cebu. The mobilization was facilitated by the Yolanda Response Operation Team headed by GSec Alex Fuentes, together with Emman Soabas, Jun Ligacion and Jilmer Cariaga in partnership with AGMF, Convoy of Hope (COH), Cathedral of Praise and other partnering organizations. Several PGCAG district councils and churches also responded in their own capacity to the typhoon–hit areas. The generosity displayed by those who gave in cash, in kind, in the form of service or in their fervent prayers really helped PGCAG hurdle this daunting task.
• Leyte & Samar – approx. 2,500 families received food packs, water, shelter kit and clothes. • Panay Island (Capiz, Aklan, Iloilo, Northern Antique) – approx. 10,000 families received food packs, water, and medicines. 1,500 shelter kits have been delivered as well. • Northern Cebu – approx. 2,000 families received food packs, water and clothes.
Financial assistance extended by PGCAG to affected churches was coursed through the districts. Furthermore, the districts were also empowered to help their churches even in minor repairs. In the heavily damaged areas, Relief Operation Rehabilitation PGCAG also provided financial support to some district PGCAG’s reponse teams were able to distribute food officers, whose livelihood also sustained severe damage, packs and shelter kits. The food packs contained canned Operational Expenses Remaining Calamity Fund goods, COH meals, and rice. The Shelter Kit, on the other to enable them to do pastoral visits.
Chart Title
21%
9%
Usage of Typhoon Yolanda Fund Relief Operation (P3.11M) Rehabilitation (P23.76M) Operational Expenses (P1.19M)
3%
Chart Title CVLL
EVDC
Remaining Calamity Fund (P7.49M) WVDC Total Donations: P35.56M
NODC 67% NWVDC
5% 32%
24%
Chart Title CVLL
EVDC
NODC 39%
0%
NWVDC
22% 28%
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ENGAGED Magazine | Strength Through the Surge
Central Visayas Lower Leyte Eastern Visayas North Western Visayas WVDC Western Visayas
Distribution of Rehabilitation
5%
39%
Distribution of Relief Operations
Central Visayas Lower Leyte Eastern Visayas Negros Occidental North Western Visayas
6%
Western Visayas Figures as of July 15, 2014
Living Word Ministries AG, Tacloban City, Leyte
Living Word Ministries AG, Tacloban City, Leyte
Jesus the Living Stone AG, Numancia, Aklan
Pantalan Assembly of God, Toboso, Negros Occidental
Streams in the Desert, San Rafael, Iloilo
Linampongan Assembly of God, Pontevedra, Capiz
Anapog Assembly of God, Toledo City, Cebu
San Roque Assembly of God, Sta. Fe, Leyte
Phase 2 - Rehabilitation With the commitment to help churches rebuild their damaged worship centers and parsonages, PGCAG launched the Adopt-a-Church Program. The said program aims to encourage churches, districts and organizations, especially in non-affected areas to adopt a particular church and help that church in its rebuilding efforts. At once, GS Rey Calusay appointed Assessment and Rebuilding Team Leaders for Leyte & Samar and Panay Island to speed up the reconstruction of churches. They are tasked to evaluate the extent of damage to the affected churches, identify materials needed for repair and organize teams for rebuilding and reconstruction. Immediately after Adopt-a-Church Program was
launched, a number of individuals, churches, and organizations sent donation for the reconstruction of their adopted churches. To date, PGCAG has started the rehabilitation phase in 174 affected churches from the provinces of Leyte, Samar, Negros Occidental, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Cebu and Bohol. Rebuilding continues as of this time.
Phase 3 - Recovery Since many lost their livelihood, PGCAG already drafted plans to help affected members recover from this tragedy. However it encourages all adherents to keep on sending their support especially that the country is bracing again for another typhoon season this remainder of 2014.
Strength Through the Surge | ENGAGED Magazine
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PGCAG Disaster Response Team Helps Typhoon Glenda Victims Too J
ust as rehabilitation efforts on Yolanda are still on-going, the country was hit again by a series of typhoons including Typhoon Glenda (Rammasun) which damaged a big portion of Central and Southern Luzon. Shown in pictures are relief operations of the PGCAG Disaster Response Team. GS Rey Calusay & GSec Alex B. Fuentes with the PGCAG Disaster Response Commission chaired by Emmanuel Soabas and members Richard Gador (Luzon), Jun Ligacion (Visayas), and Dan Jacinto (Mindanao). Meeting was held at Full Gospel Church, Jaro, Iloilo City on January 29, 2014.
Basic Procedure When Disaster Strikes Volunteers were mobilized to pack relief bags for CLDC and STDC affected churches.
Basic procedure an AG minister should follow in the event of a disaster: 1. Make an initial (ocular) damage assessment. 2. Contact and report ASAP to your presbyter, district officers, or PGCAG (thru: 0908-821-7812). 3. When possible, include these details: your name, designation, church, district/section, number of people affected, immediate needs. Other than District/Section initiatives, the PGCAG Disaster Response Commission (DRC) shall collate all reports, assess, and make necessary response.
Why Do We Rebuild, continued
rebuilding still continues. The need was so immense that, despite generous inflow of monetary support, the resources still do not match the needs.
Initial dispatch of relief goods for Quezon Province.
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ENGAGED Magazine | Strength Through the Surge
The efforts directed to rehabilitating areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda are still huge. Added to these are the impacts of the recent and upcoming typhoons that have battered and will still pounce on us. But our concerted efforts have yielded wonderful results already: churches were rebuilt and rehabilitated. PGCAG encourages everyone to continue helping towards these efforts. Despite the challenges, we can altogether rebuild and rehabilitate after this terrible catastrophe.