Monday, June 30, 2008

It’s raining umbrellas and computers!


Heavy rain that started at midnight continued to flood the streets. It was only 5:00 in the morning but most Bicolanos were up and were eagerly waiting for a signal whether to prepare themselves for work or school or to go back to their beds. But no words yet from PAGASA as to the weather update. Cellphones of the CICT-iSchools Team scattered in the different parts of Albay kept on ringing, telling one another to prepare for the worst that might happen because of the heavy rain.

But thirty minutes later, the nine members of the team headed by Mr. Erwin Rayel, the Project Manager, were all together on a truck bound to the six schools in Camarines Sur.

The Team was scheduled to deliver a total of 132 computer units, 6 LCD projectors, 12 computer printers, and 12 airconditioning units from the iSchools Project of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) to the six recipient public high schools which are located in the suburbs of Camarines Sur.

While on their way to the six schools, Mr. Rayel feared about many things during the deployment. Computer units might be damaged. And school principals and barangay officials might not be around to receive the computers. It was February 21, 2008, at the height of heavy rains and floods. The classes were already suspended although there was no impending typhoon.

Rain lashed the truck as it slowly inched its way to the knee-deep flooded streets of Barangay Veneracion, Pamplona, Camarines Sur, where Don Mariano C. Veneration National High School was located. It was the first stop of the deployment.

As the truck slowly parked in front of the gate, the team was surprised to see hundreds of umbrellas lined up from the gate to the computer laboratory to protect the computers from the rain.

“The long wait is over,” said Mr. Fernando Macaraig, school principal, as he warmly greeted the team together with the barangay officials, faculty members and students of Don Mariano C. Veneracion National High School.

The next five schools in Camarines Sur were very much ready to receive the computers despite the heavy rain. Just like Don Mariano C. Veneracion National High School, they had with them hundred umbrellas lined up to protect the computers.

“Nothing to fear after all, people will find ways to make things easier in a difficult situation,” said Mr. Rayel, feeling relieved after the deployment. *******

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