“I always involve myself in community activities because I just want to serve other people.”
Danilo Orinday is 79 years old and lives in Barangay Bantigue, Pagbilao, Quezon Province. He is married and has six children. At the age of 18, he moved to another municipality to work as caretaker of the fish pens and properties. Years later, he ventured into construction works as a mason, lead carpenter and foreman. His experiences helped him start his own construction business.
He initiated the formation of farmers’ cooperatives in Bantigue, Pagbilao, Quezon, where individual farmers were supported with start-up capital in increasing farm products. He was the president before he became the current vice president of the organization of older persons in Barangay Mapagong, Pagbilao, Quezon Province.
“I want to organize our neighborhood for us to act together when disasters strike because our sitio is a high risk area. We are at the sea shore and near Daungan River. Our place would often be submerged when the river is flooded, especially when it is also high tide. I remember that moment when I was left alone in the house during a typhoon. I went out of the house to check the surroundings, only to realize that flood had reached our doorstep and all my neighbors already left their houses for evacuation centers. I was left behind. It was a lesson I learned based on that unforgettable experience, and I want everyone in our community and the government to know that nobody should be left behind, especially in matters like emergency or disaster because every person left behind is a life lost.
“I would think ‘that should never happen again to me and other members of our community,’ and dream of organizing our neighborhood during the activity on Participatory Hazard, Risk, Capacity and Vulnerability Assessment in Barangay Mapagong organized by COSE late last year 2016. I have been involving in mangroves planting along the shore line near our residence since then.
“I hope that our community will act more and united in terms of disaster. We need to include more prevention and mitigating measures to reduce the destructive effects of hazards such as flood and storm surges.”
by Agustinus Koli