MANILA, Philippines ? When throw a rope to save people in crisis, that rope must not only be long enough to reach them, but also strong enough to withstand the pull of all their needs.

In the case of the 7,111 families who became tropical storm ?Ondoy? victims in Barangay (village) San Jose in Rodriquez (formerly Montalban), Rizal, this sturdy rope was a result of unprecedented team work from the most unlikely of partnerships ? local government, an NGO and private organizations donating an endless supply of goods.

The relationship began during the night of the storm, when Craig Burrows, a British ex-pat who runs the Asian Students Christian Foundation?s Mango Children?s Home and Papaya School, used these buildings as an evacuation center. Thousands fled here to take shelter.

When his team started to think about survival logistics, they discovered they had no electricity and ran out of food and water. Turning to the local government for help, they made radio contact with San Jose Barangay Captain Roger Frias.

Burrows describes his first interaction with Frias which gave him the first hint that there was something different about this local politician.

?Instead of asking me for money or giving me excuses, he told me I can have an ambulance and that I can ferry as much fresh water as I wanted to the evacuation center,? Burrows says.

Frias also went to the school to see the situation for himself. He made no speeches; he just wanted to check on everyone. What happened next showed that he was a man of determined action as well as kind words.

A partnership is born

Burrows and his team went to distribute water to the community in the middle of the night in order to avoid the crowds. They were shocked and amazed at what they saw on the road.

?There was [Frias] dressed in jeans, T-shirt and a cap, handing out water [going from] house to house. Since this was exactly what we were doing, he did one side of the street and we did the other. And that was how the partnership started,? Burrows recounts.

Thanks to a constant supply of donations being organized and delivered to the evacuation center from Manila by the British Women?s Foundation, Springboard Foundation and the International School of Manila (ISM), relief goods reached the barangay?s (village?s) 35,000 people in need.

He wants to serve

Burrows worked side by side late into the night with Frias who showed his true colors ? this barangay captain simply wanted to serve his people.

On the second night of the storm, it started to rain heavily and the possibility of flash floods became a concern. Burrows looked for Frias at the elementary school evacuation center and expected to see him resting inside one of the vehicles.

?But when I got there, I found him using the ropes given by ISM teaching his staff how to tie them up and use them in an emergency. I thought this guy is a boy scout! Most people are sleeping and here he is preparing,? Burrows says.

Emotional support

?Cap Rog? as his community refers to him, also offered emotional support to his people when the time called for it.

When Frias? rescue team reached a particular squatter relocation area, they found a room packed with pregnant women and children taking shelter from the rains. It was clear they needed to be evacuated but as they did not know where they were going, they were reluctant to move, worried about their houses and relatives.

?He was so gentle and respectful in convincing them that they would be safer if they leave, that their lives were more precious than belongings,? Burrows says.

Although Barangay San Jose was very badly damaged, when Frias found out that the other barangays were worse off, he did something very unusual ? he offered them help.

Councilor Aileen ?AQ? Quien-Fernandez, who has worked closely with Frias on many relief efforts, points out that in her nine years of political service, it was the first time she had seen one barangay extend volumes of support to another.

Different experience

Burrows has lived for 26 years in the Philippines and worked with NGOs in many disasters in different areas. The partnership that developed between him and Frias has been the complete opposite of his previous experiences.

Having worked with local political figures, Burrows says they normally want to be seen as doing everything.

?They ask us to leave them our goods and they will distribute them. I never agree to this and sometimes we are left with relief goods that we can?t distribute,? Burrows says.

In contrast, Frias has gone of his way to make sure the relief goods would be distributed fairly and with no ulterior motives. He knows that if the distribution ever became politicized, the flow of relief goods would stop.

Like family

If Frias treats the 93,000 families of San Jose with tender loving care, it is because he considers the barangay as part of his family. To the surprise of most everyone in local government politics, he has no interest in running for higher office. Although his political party has asked him to run for vice mayor, he has chosen to run for his third and last term as barangay captain.

?Continuing in a position which is hands-on is important. I want to leave a legacy in my barangay. I will establish certain programs and activities that will start a pattern which can be continued after I leave,? Frias explains.

Under his leadership, the barangay budget increased from P5 million to P45 million and has 22 vehicle patrols. And this is just the beginning. His ambitions for the future include a youth and recreation sports center, as well as health and emergency service programs. Since the barangay level is the smallest unit of local government, he feels a great responsibility to provide basic services to all of his people.

?They should have peace of mind and be able to go out and be safe. Many of these people voted for me. I must give back to them and not let them down,? Frias says.

Mutual benefits

The mutual benefits that occur when an NGO-local government partnership is formed during a crisis are immeasurable.

Burrows says because of their close coordination, they were able to immediately identify the biggest needs of the community. ?When you don?t work closely with community or have access to a community organization, you don?t always know [what they need] and who the real victims are.?

Given the great shortage of resources available from government, Frias and Councilor Quien-Fernandez are grateful for the privately donated aid.

?Without aid sent by these organizations, we would only be able to give 20 percent of what we were able to distribute,? Frias says.

?We feel lucky [Burrows] chose to work with us as there were so many in need. Maybe the only thing we can give back is to distribute goods efficiently,? Quien-Fernandez adds.

Lessons from the storm

Frias hopes everyone will learn from his experience.

?Local government must trust the NGOs and be transparent with all things. It?s important to work honestly, coordinate with them and respect them. We must work together and not against each other,? he says.

Burrows summarizes what he says is the greatest lesson for the future: ?Our foundation (www.asct.org.uk) is just one small thread. By joining with others ? two local politicians and a barangay team ? we joined individual threads to form a rope. This rope has reached out farther than we could ever have dreamed and saved lives.?