By Cyrus A. Natividad

CPU Project ETC distributed sacks of rice to families affected by typhoon Odette in San Joaquin, Iloilo.

Before the year 2021 ended, Typhoon Odette passed through the Visayas and Mindanao bringing disaster along the way. Iloilo’s coastal municipalities were greatly affected. The municipality of San Joaquin was not spared. People whose houses were destroyed also ran out of food and other necessities. Rice among others, was very important for the hungry victims of calamity.

CPU Project ETC (Changing lives through Education, Technology and Community), a civic organization founded by devout benefactors, Centralian Ann and husband Loy Seisa – with their children Tristan and Andrea, organized an urgent assistance drive with the CPU Community Engagement and Service Learning Program.

On December 21, 2021, the assistance drive initiated a distribution of half-sack of rice per family to a total of 63 typhoon affected families in Sitio Magurampao, Brgy. Cata-an, San Joaquin Iloilo. Other donors and participants in the rice distribution were Mr. Nico Catedrilla, nephew of Ann (BSN Class 1977), Mrs. Joan Castor – CPU Project ETC Logistics Coordinator Dr. Levi Delos Santos – CPU Community Engagement and Service Learning Program Director and Ms. Myrna Luceño – Committee member of CPU Project ETC.

Other beneficial programs of Project ETC is providing greater opportunities to school children in developing areas and their families through its core values of education, technology and community. Project ETC believes that education is one of the greatest tools for positive change in children and communities. Its founders are generous advocates of technology and respond to its need in expanding to other areas of the world. ETC’s humanitarian goals would not be achieved without the support of the community. It also aims for a positive relationship with community leaders, parents, and school officials in order to understand their exact needs and make resolutions together.