UP LAW Batch 80 helps Cavite Blast Victims

Recovery from an accident is one of the hardest thing to do especially if you belong to a poor family. A few years ago, the house of my mom in Mandaluyong burned down. Fortunately, it was insured and she got some money to pay for the damage. How about those who don't have any? What happens to them after a traumatic accident such as this Starmaker industrial accident in Trece Martires Cavite?

Last Thursday, residents of Trece heard a big explosion. The factory of Starmaker Company, a Filipino-owned manufacturer of world-class pyrotechnics, got burned. Police are still investigating the accident which caused the lives of eleven workers and injured scores of others. It was a good thing that the top management of the company attended to those affected. Those killed were given funeral and burial assistance. While those injured got financial assistance from the owners of the company, who, despite tremendous losses, still opened their arms to their workers.

Many workers, whom I was fortunate to have talked with while covering the accident, were thankful that Starmaker top management themselves attended to their needs. These workers have been with the company for twenty years, and like their bosses, they felt very sad when their place of work got burned down. Accidents do happen. Even in such very secured factories and places such as nuclear plants (Chernobyl is one), accidents occur. We're just human. Or, there are things which affects the regular course of things.

More than this assistance though, the hardest part in surviving such an ordeal is the recovery stage. Picking up the pieces destroyed by this tragedy is easier said than done. Like other things, moving on is like dragging your feet. For those whose jobs got cut or kin killed, such incidents are hard to recover.

There is hope though. The University of the Philippines Law Batch 80 led by Undersecretary Louie Liwanag and Foundation Vice President Cong. Rufus Rodriguez decided to extend a helping hand to children of workers who perished from the accident.

The University of the Philippines College of Law Batch 80 has set up an educational seed fund for children of families affected by the recent factory accident in Trece Martires Cavite.

The trust fund, which will be administered by the UP Law Batch 80 Foundation aims to extend help for the college education of children left behind by workers of Starmaker Incorporated killed in the accident.

The foundation, which is being chaired by Undersecretary Louie Liwanag, was established to help the poor, the needy and the impoverished in Philippine society. It boasts of the finest law practitioners in the country led by Foundation President Raoul Angangco and Cong. Rufus Rodriguez who sits as Vice President. Department of Justice Undersecretary Linda Hormillo-Malenab, meanwhile sits in the Board of Trustees, with legal eagles Katrina Legarda, Nonoy Tan, Judge Rafael Lagos and Atty. Arno Sanidad.

Atty. Nonoy Tan said the Foundation decided to initiate the trust fund to help heal the lives of families affected by the accident. Eleven workers perished in the accident, which also injured 48 other people near the factory. Most of the injured have been given medical and financial assistance; while those still recuperating in the hospital are closely being monitored by Starmaker.

Tan said it is time for those affected to move forward and start rebuilding their lives.

“ The hardest thing to do in an accident such as this is how to recover and pick up the pieces, “ says Tan who also experienced hard times himself but managed to recover and now, has a very successful law practice. “ Properties destroyed are nothing compared to the lives disrupted. People who have the means should help families recover from the accident. It is time to rebuild lives in Trece Martires Cavite.”

In its first activity, the Foundation has coordinated with the Cavite Provincial government led by Governor Ayong Malicsi and the City mayor of Trece Martires Cavite. The foundation, likewise, asked Starmaker Company to continue doing reconstructive work by giving livelihood financial assistance to those who survived the accident.

As of press-time, all injured victims were given medical and financial assistance. Families of casualties were given funeral and burial assistance by Starmaker Company.

Surviving kin of Starmaker workers who perished from the accident are being interviewed to determine how the Foundation and Starmaker Company can further assist them in this recovery stage.