By Froilan Gallardo
Special Correspondent
MORE than eight years after tropical storm “Sendong” inundated this city, tributes are heaped on the late President Benigno Simeon Aquino III who came to its rescue.
Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Emeritus Antonio Ledesma recalled how the late President Aquino came to Cagayan de Oro two days after the disaster struck to organize the rescue and recovery efforts.
Ledesma said the intervention of Aquino was a big help since the local government was paralyzed by the devastation.
“Aquino even sent his sister, Victoria Elisa Aquino-Dee, and former Secretary Dinky Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development to help organize the operations here,” Ledesma said.
Ledesma officiated the Mass at the St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral Saturday to commemorate the ninth day of prayers of the late President Aquino III who died in Manila on June 24.
He said President Aquino will be remembered here as a strong and decisive leader who cut the red tape of governance to allow the national government machinery to deliver relief goods and help.
Ledesma said the national government, the Cagayan de Oro archdiocese, and Xavier University agreed to unify their rescue and recovery efforts.
He said the operations were first done in Xavier University where military trucks and rescue vehicles fanned out to deliver food, water, and clothing to thousands of residents left homeless by the flash floods triggered by tropical storm Sendong.
Richard Rejas of Balay Mindanaw Foundation, an NGO, recalled local government officials faced with the sobering reality of the disaster were unable to mount organized rescue and recovery efforts.
“It was the military, DSWD, and NGOs who filled the gap,” Rejas said.
Tropical storm “Sendong” slammed on Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities on Dec. 16 killing 1,472 residents who were mostly living in riverside communities.
