NEW BATAAN, Compostela Valley, Dec 27 (PIA) -- At the heart of Barangay Andap in New Bataan, Compostela Valley boulders, huge rocks and rushing waters now occupy the spot where the barangay hall, the covered court, the health center and the complete elementary school building once stood.

There used to be flourishing agricultural farms of 

various crops, a thriving tourism industry with mountain and spring resorts, a growing barangay with its infrastructure but these were gone after that early morning on December 4 when Typhoon Pablo caused strong current of a flash-flood to rush through Barangay Andap, sweeping them away. 

When the flash-flood was over human lives were lost and the landscape of Barangay Andap changed. Boulders, huge stones, sand and gravel spread wide across the heart of the barangay particularly in Purok 1A and in Purok 14. The water from the Mayo River were rushing through a new path, far from its original course. 

An aerial survey conducted on Dec. 6 revealed that the phenomenon was caused by a hurricane, New Bataan Mayor Lorenzo Balbin Jr. said. He denied reports of a landslide. 

Based on his account, the hurricane hit Compostela Valley’s highest mountain range known as the White Peak that rises 8,876 feet above sea level. 

Noting those portions of the White Peak which had been broken off, Balbin surmised these were the spots where the rocks, the boulders, stones and grave had come from and rolled, rushing down the hills along with the huge volume of waters poured by the hurricane. 

That incident transformed the picture of Barangay Andap. Looking around, Antonio Maslunag recalled images of houses that used to border along the road leading to the mountain and spring resorts which can no longer be found . 






“Diha to dapit nagpuyo akong mga paryente. Mga baynte kabuok sila nangawala (It was there that my relatives used to live. I lost about 20 of them),” he said while pointing at the broken cemented road which almost disappeared and buried under boulders and huge volume of sand and gravel. 

Because his own family is intact, Maslunag still wants to stay in Barangay Andap not threatened by frequent occurrence of floods as waters from nearby mountains are flowing down out of their usual course. 

Celia Villafuerte, 60 years of age resident of Barangay Andap, holds the same sentiment saying she has to stay because she has nowhere to go. 

“Kung mohawa ko diri, asa ko mopuyo? Unsa ang akong panginabuhian didto? (If I will leave, where will I stay? How will I make a living there?),” she said while clutching a pack of Noche Buena from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 

In her pre-Christmas visit in Barangay Andap, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman noted that some of the barangay residents had already moved out of their place. “Those who have no choice but stay, are whom we are trying to help find new place to live,” she said. 

Andap Punong Barangay Francisco Aldueso said Andap is home to 1,557 families. He admits that some have been moving out but some are still staying. 

Looking at a tarpaulin presentation of Barangay Andap accomplishments, he recalls the beauty of the place, the green vegetation, the thriving agriculture livelihood of barangay residents and the facilities set up during his stint. He is glad to have retrieved the tarp which is the only evidence of what Barangay Andap used to be. 

Restoration, however, is underway. Mayor Balbin reveals the on-going rehabilitation effort of Barangay Andap, starting off with rechanneling and de-silting of the Mayo River which river bed has been heavily filled with debris, uprooted trees, sand and boulders. 

Balbin sees the immediate need of such engineering interventions because waters that used to the Mayor River as its course, are now flowing through New Bataan Poblacion area, flooding puroks 4, 17, 18 and portion of Purok 16 everytime heavy rain comes 

Considering such effort to take some time, temporary shelters and bunkhouses are built providing shelter for those who have no place to live. (RGA/JMDA/PIA XI) 

In times of adversity

                The preaching of Dr. Charles Stanley yesterday (Sunday, Dec. 09) came  very timely as the world was looking at the vast destruction  that Typhoon Pablo made, when it  swept  through several provinces in  Mindanao, and went its way to Visayas areas,  carrying a packed wind of 175 kilometer per hour (kph).

Dr. Stanley talked about facing adversity which he described as sickness,  loss,  grief or severe pain.  He explained his thoughts about standing strong  amidst adversity  by citing  the life of Apostle Paul whose life in prison  made believers confident and bold enough to  preach the message of Christ, as discussed in Phil. 1:13-15.   Dr. Stanley drew some insights  from Apostle Paul’s experiences, and explained the lessons that the  Apostle was learning while going through  various forms of adversities.

             
Citing  2Cor. 12:7, he said Apostle Paul learned that everything “comes from God.” In this verse, the Apostle talks about suffering painful physical ailment. He interprets this as the Lord’s way of keeping him from being “puffed up.”

             
Apostle Paul asks the Lord that such pain be taken away (2Cor. 12:8) but God answers him saying, “My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak (2Cor. 12:8).”  In the succeeding verses, Paul  testifies how Christ’s power has protected him, making him feel happy and content despite  the adversities he has encountered.  He goes on to conclude “for when I am weak then I am strong.” (2Cor.12:10). (Writer’s discussion)

Citing such positive attitude that  the Apostle showed amidst adversities, Dr. Stanley  said that Apostle Paul “understood that God was with him in it” and that  “Paul was learning the ways of God.”

Apostle Paul also learned that “adversity makes him a more effective comforter”.  2Cor. 1:3-4 says that “praise be  to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the  Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” In further explaining the verse,  Dr. Stanley looked at adversity as God’s way of “equipping” us to become comforters of others.

             
If  God is doing good for those who love Him and those whom he has called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28), and if He is an ever loving Father, why does He allow us to suffer?  It’s because God has specific purpose for allowing adversities  to happen, Dr. Stanley said.

             
He wants  to draw us into an intimate relationship  with him. “An intimacy that goes  beyond flesh.  He wants us to know Him.” Dr. Stanley said.

             
Building such intimate relationship, Apostle Paul learned that, indeed, he could “rejoice” despite some adversities in his life.  He vividly professed rejoicing  in Phil. 4:4 which says, “Rejoice in the Lord Always. I  will say it again: Rejoice!”

Here was a man who had been put to jail several times;  often put to shame; persecuted and eventually executed, had the spirit to rejoice. He even told the world “not to be anxious about anything,”(Phil.4:6).

             
In wrapping up his preaching, Dr. Stanley told his listeners to think about a bridge leading to intimate relationship with God, when facing adversities in life. “A relationship  that revolutionalizes your life; equips you to become a better servant of God.”

             
He ended up his preaching by leaving a phrase that prompted listeners to make a choice, “either to rebel against God or  to surrender to Him,” in times of adversity.

               
To rejoice in this time of trouble is unimaginable.  Such is beyond the thoughts of displaced individuals, of people who have lost their loved ones,  their homes and their means of livelihood. But  whom can we cling to and hope for miracles?

             
Our church, Iglesia sa Dios Espiritu Santo, has been warning us of calamitous events to  happen.  It has been  telling its members to prepare. We can only pack few food and some belongings.  What we can  load up  is so much faith and trust in God.

(Dr. Charles Stanley: www.InTouch.org)