Kenneth Shaw graduated in 1978 from Don Bosco Mandaluyong and is now a very successful businessman. He put up Siargao Town Center and brought in establishments like Puregold supermarket, Handy Man hardware, and next in line is Mercury Drugstore. Thus, when Super Typhoon Odette hit Siargao last December 16, 2021, it was just natural for him to decide to stay to protect his business.
As they were boarding up, in preparation for the typhoon, his supervisor relayed to him the predicament of Bryan Escamillan, their Grounds Keeper. Bryan was so worried because his wife called earlier that day and told him that the roof of their house was blown away by the storm. Eventually, he cannot contact her anymore. It was only 11 am that time but many trees were already uprooted. The height of the storm was forecasted at 2 pm.
DBTC Alumnus 1978
Kenneth did not think with his mind but with his heart. He immediately told Bryan, “I have a pick-up truck; sakay ka na. Sunduin natin ang pamilya mo. (I have a pick-up, come with me. Let’s get your family). He estimated that they can fetch Bryan’s family and be back to safety before 2 pm. But Kenneth underestimated the storm level 5.
When they arrived at Bryan’s house, they only saw what was left of it. They had to look for his wife and two kids who took shelter in a sturdier house nearby but were also eventually blown away. Once they got his family, they immediately headed back. But the wind was so strong that the pick-up truck was almost dragged by it. Luckily, they found a dump truck and parked beside it so that the strong wind would not hit them directly. They stayed inside the truck for about three hours, as their vehicle was being hit by debris and GI sheets.
For them to move forward, Bryan and his wife had to chop the trees that fell along the road. After which, Kenneth will hit them with his truck. He noticed that while the couple was chopping the trees, they were arguing about their life savings worth P7,000 which were lost during the storm. He told them, “Pag mabuhay tayo dito, bibigay ko sa inyo ang P7,000” (if we get out of here alive, I will give you the P7,000). To which he did! It has already been five hours since they started to head back to safety.
Kenneth shared, “People are not really bad, but people are scared of money, food, and other basic necessities so when they see an empty house, they will just get anything, and it’s not because they want to steal, it’s because they want to survive.”
Because of the typhoon, food and water were not immediately available and the people did not know what to do. It was like a war scene and devastation was all over the place. Kenneth had the means to leave Siargao but decided to stay and help the people there. He gave free food and water through a refilling station. He said, “Kung walang nagugutom, walang gulo (if no one is hungry, there will be no trouble). If people see someone giving away food and water for free, it is not only encouraging but contagious. If they see that the commercial center is fixed, it gives them the encouragement to fix their own businesses.”
Queen Melo Esguerra, one of those who helped in the feeding program relayed what Kenneth immediately did after the typhoon, “He was the first one to respond when no relief operations were organized yet. He put a team together and bought the perishable goods and canned goods of Puregold and instructed his staff to cook hot meals like lugaw, fried chicken, sardines, and noodles plus food and canned goods for the people to take home to their own families.”
Kenneth also did not stop paying the salary of his executives and staff. They all received the same amount of money. He was simply honest with them, as cash was scarce and he needed to preserve what he had on hand. He was very grateful to his executives for being gracious enough to agree with his decision.
One of Kenneth’s important missions after the typhoon was to open Puregold as soon as possible to avert probable runaway inflation that would stymie the immediate recovery of Siargao. Puregold was repaired against all odds, with no power, no water, and the materials had to come from Davao. He was able to open it last January 31, 2022, which was 45 days after the typhoon.
Logical or illogical?
Most would consider that what Kenneth did was crazy and illogical. He tried to preserve his business but he risked his life-saving Bryan’s family. What good is it to preserve the business when one is dead? Yet, being a Marian devotee, he felt the right thing to do was to follow the will of God and the promptings of Mama Mary. He added, “My life was 50-50 because I have my pick-up truck, but the lives of the wife and kids were 100% over, so I took my chance. It was life over the material.” When asked, this is what Bryan said about Kenneth: “When I heard that he will help me look for my family, I was overjoyed and humbled at the same time. How can this big boss be the one to help someone like me? And after everything that happened, I wanted to kneel before him because of gratitude for everything he did for my family. There are so many people who can help, but nobody dared. Yet, he did it for me.”
Don Bosco School of Theology is truly proud of Kenneth Shaw. Because of this beautiful and magnanimous deed, we are committed to assisting in the formation and training of future priests who would similarly brave the storms their flock will face. We dare to accompany laymen and women who desire to make the extra mile of their lives by preparing themselves to be evangelists in a world where the best of deeds paves the way for the announcement of the Good News. We hope his story inspired you to go out of your comfort zones to help someone in need.
Truly I say to you, as you did it to the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me. Mt. 25:40
