HANDS ACROSS THE SEA; Collated Stories of Courage & Compassion

 

     

Tacloban after super typhoon Yolanda.
Photo by  William Hovland/Making Change - Norway 

The path of devastation caused by super typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda that stroked  several islands in  the Philippines  is insurmountable. The stories are extremely available in newspapers, on the internet, radio and TV. Stories of heroism are numerous as well, but this time I am sharing what is known to me on a firsthand account.

 

 

COMPASSION TO HELP

 

       

Capt. Joeran Noesvik and Capt. Erik Blom while
donors started sending their donations to
NTC-M office in Taguig.

It was early morning of November 11 when all NTC-M employees got an email from Capt. Erik Blom; our Managing Director declaring  the PHP 1 Million Pesos that our company  will donate for the Yolanda survivors. He also stated that the KFO vessel chartered by the Norwegian Training Center for the maritime training  of cadets  will be utilized instead to transport life saving food and water to Tacloban.

 

       

 

Early morning, there was coordination meeting at the office, with key people who acted precisely and put plans into action in no time. I knew a lot of genuine people who are willing to help, but doing it makes a  whole lot different  story.

 

        And  I was not the only one touched by the management's decision to help our countrymen. Because on that same day, NTC-M employees have decided to add up the entire Christmas party budget to the initial 1M donation by the company.  It was a good start to entice more people to help and the compassionate hearts seem contagious  as overwhelming number of individuals, companies and  organizations pour tons of donations for the victims

 

QUICK RESPONSE

 

      

Many have admired the quick response of NTC-M  and all the people behind the relief operations as the Kapitan Felix Oca (KFO)  chartered by NTC-M was the first vessel to reach Tacloban port. How the people behind the relief operations moved heaven and earth to organize the relief, gather donations, load tons of goods to the ship and repack thousands of family packs onboard  can help me make a new book with several chapters of consolidated heroic acts worth sharing and worth reading.

        I saw everyone was busy, inconsiderate of their personal rest and planned vacations; nothing was really important that time but to give help and give hope.  24-hour continuous loading operations were implemented to immediately reach Tacloban as everyone's aware that time is essential especially in situations like this.

 

OVERWHELMING DONATIONS

       I have a list of more than 100 corporations, government agencies, organizations and private individuals who have made the relief operations possible  but it will take up the entire page trying to mention everybody;  to those who have  made their part, who have shared their time and their energy for this cause, you should all be proud of yourself.

 

ONE-OF-A-KIND TRAINING

 

         170 Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NSA) Cadets were onboard per leg of the relief operations. The shipboard familiarization training which was initially  bound to Cebu and Boracay changed its direction to a worthy training; to a navigation with purpose.
 
       The shipboard familiarization was the cadets' first introduction to seaman's life. It shall serve as their learning process to a deeper appreciation of their respective maritime courses.But due to the change of direction, they got more of what they supposed to learn. Capt. Blom refers to it as added value as they also learn to organize themselves in crisis, quickly manage to be of service to those in need and in unison made themselves a transporter not just of food and water but of hope to those who badly need it.

RELIEF GOODS DELIVERED

      

In the 3 legs of operations, 600 tons of donations, food, water, canned goods, clothes, medicines, mattress, toiletries and a lot more were safely delivered and reached more than 100,000 families in Tacloban and Coron.

     

 

 

 

 

 

This time NTC-M gave new meaning to its longtime tagline "HANDS ACROSS THE SEA" 

      To all the donors, cadets, organizers and everyone involved in this advocacy,    I salute each one of you for your act of kindness.It is always true that giving is loving and not any amount is lost through such act of kindness for it  will always return to you in hundred folds.