Fun ride raises $675 for Typhoon Odette victims

Dean Oscillos, left, and Renato Gaviola, middle, show the $225 they received from a bike fun ride donation drive coordinated by Wilfredo Barbo, right, during a turnover ceremony last week at the Oleai Pavilion. Not on photo is Boboy Aguilar.
(MARK RABAGO)

Dean Oscillos, Boboy Aguilar, and Renato Gaviola equally divided the $675 raised by a fun ride donation drive initiated by Wilfredo Barbo last Jan. 14 in Marpi for Saipan victims of Typhoon Odette (Rai) which struck central Philippines last December.

Oscillos thanked Barbo and others who coordinated the fundraising bike ride. A member of the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter who works for Joeten Superstore, the 57-year-old said his family’s house in Limasawa Island, Leyte was destroyed by the catastrophic tropical cyclone.
He said the $225 he received from Barbo and company will go a long way in reconstructing their house in the Philippines.

Like Oscillos, Renato Gaviola, a native of Ubay, Bohol, also extended his appreciation to organizers of the fun ride fundraiser for the $225 he received. The 55-year-old staff of Success International said his family’s house also stood no chance against the howling winds of Typhoon Odette.

He said their home was totally “washed out” and he would use the money to buy more materials for the reconstruction of their house.

Aguilar, who missed the turnover of the funds last Jan. 19 at the Oleai Pavilion, said he will never forget the generosity of their fellow bikers when they took part and donated money during the fun ride in Marpi.

The 63-year-old hails from Bato, Leyte and said their family house also didn’t escape the wrath of Typhoon Odette. Aguilar, who works as a gardener for Tapochao Bushcutting, said he will immediately send the $225 he received from Barbo and company so it could help with the repairs of the house.

Barbo, for his part, thanked Saipan’s generous bike community for giving out of their own pockets and donating a total of $675 to their fellow bikers who were victims of Typhoon Odette.

“I want to thank and appreciate all who supported the event. We had more or less 50 participants. We’re so much happy with the outcome and were able to raise $675 in donations,” he said.

The fun ride started bright and early at 6:30am with the original route encompassing the Banzai Cliff, La Fiesta, and back to Banzai Cliff route. Barbo said most of the bikers went up still in Suicide Cliff before everyone enjoyed light breakfast together courtesy of Mario Alvarez Jacob and Ronnie Santos who brought arroz caldo.