Last November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Typhoon Yolanda, made landfall in the central region of the Philippines. The typhoon, regarded as the strongest to hit land in the world’s history, brought strong winds and heavy rainfall that led to the death of more than five thousand people. Days after the devastating calamity, problems continued to inflate as damages were too great for the country to bear. Looting and violence became rampant in the affected areas and people began to lose faith in the government’s capabilities.
De La Salle University quickly responded with a relief effort encouraging all Lasallians and outsiders to help those affected by the natural disaster.
Student government officers and students from the different colleges within the University have joined in the efforts to provide aid to the typhoon victims. Aside from the usual faces from the Sagip Metro relief series of the previous years, Lasallian athletes from different sporting events were also visible in the Yolanda relief drive.
The reigning UAAP Men’s Basketball Champions, the DLSU Green Archers, came back to share their efforts, this time not only with the Lasallian community but also to those affected by the typhoon as well. Led by head coach Juno Sauler and the other members of the coaching staff, the boys from Taft helped out in De La Salle Philippines’ (DLSP) repacking efforts at the North Conservatory last November 20, 2013. The Green Archers also auctioned off ten championship shirts signed by the entire team with all the proceeds going to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.
The Green Archers also went head to head against the NCAA four-peat champions, the San Beda Red Lions, in a charity match for the typhoon victims last December 7, 2013. Rekindling a rivalry from the good old days when both were participating in the NCAA, the two champions are set to help their fellow countrymen with the ticket proceeds going to the typhoon victims as well.
Heading out of the basketball court for a while, the Green Archers have shown the community yet again what they can do beyond wearing a jersey in a forty-minute ballgame. The Taft-based cagers have shown that they are champions not just on the court and for DLSU. The Green Archers are also champions for all their fellow countrymen in times when their help is needed the most.
All Lasallians are expected to become “Achievers for God and Country”, as the saying goes and the Green Archers are slowly giving life to this catchphrase that is present in every DLSU classroom above the chalk boards.
