Desperate Measures

Other Ways to Help Philippine Typhoon Survivors: Donating to the Private Sector

Last week, while helping pack meals for evacuees from typhoon-ravaged areas, Markus Schmidt, owner of Firma, exclaimed, "If it weren't for the private sector, more people would have died!"  

It is true.  Working through and around the frustration with government bureaucracy are private individuals and corporations that have given selflessly of their time and resources to help the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in whatever way they can.

A friend on mine who lives abroad recently sent a message:  "Is there anything I can do that will actually make a difference [instead of] ending up in some organization's overhead?"  This has been echoed by others.  I understand the distrust.  I myself have decided to donate to private entities instead of the big charities.

I have thus compiled a list of initiatives that you might want to look into, should you wish to help.  None of them know that I am writing this, and I have indicated any ties that I may have to them - that I am aware of, at least.  (This is the Philippines.  Most everyone is separated by only two degrees.)

Bear in mind that these are private endeavors and any donation made to them is not tax deductible.  And it is most likely that they only have local bank accounts for receiving donations, and bank transfers are subject to fees.  

• First on my list, of course, is Siargao's effort to help fellow surf island, Guiuan, Samar, where Yolanda made its first landfall.  Here's an update from Dencio Dizon, who spearheaded the whole thing:

Siargao delivered!  It was one trip we will never forget.  Tiring, depressing, yet very fulfilling.  For two days ,we distributed relief goods that fed ALL 880 HOMELESS FAMILIES of Barrio Sulangan, Calicoan Island, in Guiuan Samar.  Around PHP900,000 worth of food packs, rice, medicine, and construction materials were given out.  And how fitting it is, we took an Aussie Military plane out of Guiuan to Cebu!  The people and the surf community of Guiuan send their biggest appreciation to everyone!  We just landed here in Cebu and we will tell our story very soon.

Team Siargao before departing for Guiuan, Samar.

Fund-raising will continue.

It is no secret that one of my home bases in the Philippines is in Siargao, and most of the people involved are my friends.

• Project Wheelchair aims to provide wheelchairs, crutches and walkers for the handicapped survivors of Typhoon Yolanda.  From organizer, Dedet dela Fuente, on the fund-raising dinner they are holding tomorrow (with edits):

Our target was to be able to raise money for 25 wheelchairs.  Would we be able to fill those seats?  We thought of canceling the dinner because, at the start, we only had three who signed up.  Then slowly, people started to call, text, send me messages on FB that they could not make it to dinner but were happy to [donate P3000 for a wheelchair].  A friend from the UK said her friend heard about PROJECT WHEELCHAIR and wanted to donate too!  A friend of a friend saw my post and donated her used crutches - and shared our post to her friends who also sent donations.  AS OF THIS MORNING, WE HAVE ENOUGH TO BUY 39 WHEELCHAIRS AND WE HAVE TWO CRUTCHES.  LET'S AIM FOR MORE.  NEW TARGET - 50 WHEELCHAIRS BY DECEMBER 15.  Please share our plea for donations of used wheelchairs and crutches, and for pledges for new wheelchairs too!  Wheelchairs are P2400, walkers are P1000 and crutches are P600.

Dedet is part of a food group I belong to.  I am attending the dinner tomorrow night.

• Miranda Konstantinidou, who lives in Cebu, has started her own initiative to help.  Please check Let's Help Philippines.  I was introduced to Miranda a few times but I cannot say that I know her.  This project was endorsed to me by mutual friend, Martin Breiner, from Austria, who used to live in the Philippines.  For the German speakers, here is an article about it that I do not understand.  You can follow their efforts on Facebook.
• Another private entity helping out in Cebu, specifically Malapascua Island, is Malapascua Relief Project for Victims of Yolanda.  A good friend of Nicolas and mine, Sophie Secco, who is based in Cebu, is very active in this group and it is through her that I know about this effort.
• SEAIR International, of which I am a director, has been using its planes to airlift volunteers and much needed aid to far flung places.  Iren Dornier himself, owner and Chairman of SEAIR International, has been flying his private planes and helicopters to get help where it is needed.  If you would like to donate to their efforts (particularly for fuel costs), please contact owner and director, Nikos Gitsis, at [email protected].
• Alphaland has also been ceaselessly using its planes for the relief efforts.  If you would like to help defray their fuel costs too, I'm sure they will appreciate it.  To follow their relief efforts, please go to their Facebook page, Alphaland Cares.  Alphaland is owned by Bobby Ongpin, and I went to university with four of the five children of his late brother, Jimmy Ongpin.
• My father's high school batch mates (Ateneo class of 1958) have organized their own small-scale relief operations.  They first went to Daanbantayan in Cebu to distribute goods and, last week, they were in Capiz, Iloilo.  These are men in their 70s who just want to help.  They are targeting isolated places that receive very little coverage in the media.  Please contact Danny Olivares (my dad; he doesn't know I even have a blog - and I hope it remains that way) at [email protected].

Lastly, there are relief efforts to resupply fishermen with boats they have lost - which, I believe, is a worthy cause.  As far as I know, I have no ties with anyone from these groups.

Balikdagat intends to help fishermen from Basey, Samar.  I first learned about them from this Facebook post:

The second one, I learned about in this news article.  The effort is spearheaded by the Rotary Club Makati-Dasmariñas Chapter to help fishermen from Dolores, Samar.

Other ideas:

If anyone wants to donate these enviroment-friendly disposable utensils to those packing meals for evacuees, that would be great.

I think these Luci solar-powered lights will go a long way to helping light the Philippine countryside.  Not just for the typhoon survivors, although they definitely should be a priority, but for people living in areas of the Philippines that do not have stable power supply (like the whole of Mindanao).  I have gotten in touch with the company behind these lights and they are willing to give a sizable discount if ordered in bulk.  I still haven't worked out how to import them, but if you can figure out how to donate these (and the taxes that go along with importing them), please let me know.

 

Siargao Gets Organized for Guiuan

Siargao is reaching out to its fellow surf island, Guiuan in Samar, ground zero for Typhoon Haiyan (a.k.a. Yolanda)'s landfall in the Philippines.

 

Surfer, Paolo Soler, reports from Guiuan.

Last Thursday, a pub crawl was hastily put together.  For a minimum donation of P1000, a cold beer was waiting at 15 different establishments.  It kicked off at 2 PM at Villa Maya, then ended at Palaka Siargao Dive Center.  Free dinners at various resorts were raffled off, as were bamboo skateboards made by one of our Aussie residents.  The island's guests and residents were inspired to give and, at the end of the evening, P91,700 was raised.

Raising funds for the storm survivors, Siargao-style, with a pub crawl from Cloud 9 to the boulevard.  This was taken at Boardwalk.

Since then, P270,000 has been raised.  A couple from Surigao City has donated the use of their boat and crew to  deliver relief goods to Guiuan.  It can carry 20 tonnes of cargo.  The community is hoping for more donations to fill up the boat before it departs.

A few more pub crawls may be organized in the weeks to come to raise more funds for the storm survivors.

To help, please contact any of the following:

• Dencio Dizon, of Amihan Surf Shop
• Andrew and Rhoda Bickell, of Boardwalk
• Hippie and Wilmar Melindo, of Hippie's Surf Shop
• Gerry Degan, of Sagana Resort
• Rico and Nildie Rietenbach, of Siargao Inn whom have put up Siargao Inn Friends Helping Samar After Super Typhoon Yolanda

In The Wake of a Disaster: How We Can Help

The stories and images coming out of the typhoon-ravaged areas of the Philippines are horrifying and heartbreaking.

Super Typhoon Haiyan (Philippine name:  Yolanda) first made landfall in Guiuan, Samar last November 7 at its peak intensity of 315 km/h, making it the strongest typhoon in recorded history.  Then it hit Tolosa, Leyte.  It made four more landfalls (in Bantayan and Daanbantayan in Cebu, Panay Island and, lastly, in Busuanga, Palawan) before emerging over the South China Sea on November 8.

 "It's an infrared capture of the cyclone's eye, taken by the Suomi NPP satellite early November 7."  (Source:  "Super Typhoon Haiyan:  The Most Powerful Cyclone in History?")

So far, the bulk of the news reaching the general public has been out of Leyte.  There has been very little to almost no news coming from the other affected areas as communication lines are down and some of these places were already difficult to reach even before the storm, resulting in their further isolation from the rest of the world.

Apart from the areas already mentioned, we've heard that Malapascua in Cebu is badly affected, as is Iloilo, and the islands of the Calamianes Archipelago in Palawan, which include Coron.  Everyday, more and more provinces are being added to the list of affected areas as information slowly trickles in: 

Here's a link to The New York Times' photos of the storm and its aftermath.  And these are before-and-after photos of Tacloban, Leyte as featured in the Washington Post.

There's so much information on Facebook on how to help that I thought it best to collate what, in my opinion, is most important so that it doesn't get lost in the rubble, so to speak.

First of all, if you are thinking of volunteering in the areas affected by the storm, you may want to reconsider.

From Oona Paredes, as relayed to her by humanitarian aid workers in the past:  IMPORTANT:  People without emergency response/humanitarian aid training should NOT try to go visit the directly-hit areas to check on relatives.  If you do, you will only get in the way of relief efforts and use resources that survivors and relief workers need in terms of transportation, water, energy, food, sanitation services.  PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!

A Kathy Chua-Grimme echoes this as she shares her father's experience in Guiuan:

My dad just got back from [Guiuan] yesterday.  He said the whole town was completely destroyed. They're desperate for help.

He also suggested consolidating donations (prepacked or otherwise) to the larger organizations already on the ground.  Sending volunteers just to distribute small scale relief goods may run into more logistical problems like finding shelter and providing meals for the volunteers (meals that could be allocated to people in need).  He was lucky to have two meals in two days.  The other concern was safety for the volunteers.  They're looting, even in Guiuan, because there's absolutely nothing left. 

But if you still insist on going where you shouldn't, there's a post from a Saintz Knight, although I'm not sure if the message originated from him, with tips gathered from Search and Rescue Teams on how to survive volunteering in a disaster area.  While it is written rather cheekily in Taglish (Tagalog-English), it is a reminder of the harsh realities one will have to face over there.  If the following sounds awkward, it's because I'm not a skilled translator.  This is a loose translation from the original:

1.  Keep a low profile, especially when it comes to the supplies that you have.  When the victims get hungry, no one will be able to control the crowds if they mob you.

2.  There should be a wall in a public area where people can post the names of the missing.  Bring lots of paper, tape, pens, especially if the power and communication lines are still down.

3.  In the evening, camp in a secure place out of sight.  It's depressing to camp in the vicinity of the hungry because they stare at you from morning to night and you'll be too ashamed to eat in front of them.

4.  Never cook out in the open.

5.  Wear old clothes.  Blend in with the crowd and don't stick out.  Best to look like you lost everything too.  Don't walk in packs so that you don't attract attention.

Lose your ego.  Volunteer work is not about you.  It is about the other.  Show some sensitivity and try not to call attention to yourself.

6.  Don't make eye contact and try to walk amongst the crowd. Place all stuff in old used bags.

7.  Be discreet when using your mobile phone.  Everyone has someone they want to call.  Conserve your battery life by setting a specific day and time when you and whomever you have to talk to can talk again.  Even mobile phones are hot commodities.

8.  Expect that you too will have problems finding decent water supply.  You should have designated assembly points A, B and C in case of sudden anarchy.  Tip:  Identify a tall landmark.   Don't forget to bring extra can openers and lighters.  Bring alcohol, a stove and a map.

9.  Don't panic.

10.  Don't panic.

Make no mistake, it is dangerous out there.  Do not underestimate hunger and desperation.  To quote Edward Gualberto, a storm survivor from Tacloban, Leyte:   I am a decent person.  But if you have not eaten in three days, you do shameful things to survive.

But don't lose heart.  There are other ways to volunteer.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) needs volunteers to repack goods for distribution to local government units affected by Yolanda.

In Manila, interested volunteers may go to the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) NAIA Chapel Road, Pasay City (beside Airport Police Department & back of Air Transportation Office) with telephone numbers 852-8081, 851-2681 & 0918-930-2356. The Center is open 24-hours and volunteers may repack on shift.

In Cebu, you can go to the Provincial Capitol or call (32) 254-7198/(32) 254 8397 for more information.

If you need directions getting there, Google and Google Maps should show you the way.

You can also volunteer to cut tarp.  From Maria Parsons:

We need volunteers to cut down and prepare tarps for use as temporary shelter material.  Victims in storm ravaged areas have no means of staying out of the elements, a simple tarp coupled with scavenged materials provides adequate temporary shelter. 

We have 2 tons of tarpaulins that need to be cut down to size and packed for distribution.  If you are interested in volunteering please go to:

ESI Office
145 Yakal Street
Makati
894 1636 or 894 1618
We are open 24 hours for this effort.

For medical professionals:

Donations in cash and in kind are always welcome.

When preparing goods to donate, it might be best to heed the counsel of those who've done this before:

Also from Saintz Knight:

1.) DO NOT PACK NOODLES, RICE OR ANYTHING THAT NEEDS WATER.  There is no water and electricity so it is impossible to cook this kind of food.  Stick to bread, canned goods that are ready-to-eat and can be opened WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A CAN OPENER.

2.) PACK MEDICINE.  Most especially basic medicine (Biogesic, Bioflu, Robitussin, etc).  Also if possible, include medicine for surface wounds as many have been wounded because of the debris and fallen rooftops.

3.) PACK AT LEAST ONE BOTTLE OF WATER.  People are raging for water (some have even become violent just for water).  There is no source of water at all in any part of Tacloban.

4.) PACK CANDLES AND MATCHES.  There will be no electricity for a minimum of two months so all people will need these.

5.) ENCOURAGE YOUR RESPECTIVE GROUP/ORGANIZATION TO DONATE BODYBAGS.  Bodies are lying around the roads within the city and some of the places have already been filled up with bodies.

From Horis Varos:  From past relief ops experience -- canned goods with easy pull tabs, donations wrapped in usable blankets are highly suggested.

From Trinazinha SG:  FYI, a DSWD standard food pack contains 3 kilos of rice*, 2 cans of corned beef, 4 cans of sardines, 6 packs noodles* and 6 sachets 3in1 coffee*.  Good to copy the amounts as they are good for 3 days for a family of 5.

*Given the lack of potable water in the affected areas, I would substitute the rice, noodles and coffee for biscuits, more canned goods and bottles of water.

From Bel S. Castro [with edits]:  In response to a call made by the Philippine Red Cross... a typical family of 5... should receive

• Detergent soap/bar (5 pcs)**
• Shampoo (6 sachets)**
• Toothpaste (1 big tube)
• Toothbrushes (5 pcs.)
• Sanitary napkins (1 pack)
• Toilet paper (2 rolls)
• Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol)

**To cut down on plastic waste, I suggest providing one big bar of soap rather than five small individual ones, and perhaps a big bottle of shampoo would be better than sachets.

This is also another good idea:

LBC is a courier service based in the Philippines with branches worldwide.  It is accepting donations for typhoon victims at all of its outlets until November 30.  Please check if there is an LBC near you to get your relief goods to the Philippines.  On November 30, they may also need volunteers to repack goods.  Here is a list of their branches in the Philippines and around the world.

For monetary donations, there are a lot of choices.

My first choice would be the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).  Their website has a drop-down menu and you can choose which cause you want to donate to.

For direct donations to the Philippine Red Cross:

Here's a list of other options:

Again, from Oona Paredes:  Organizations like World Food Programme have a very good rep in terms of maximizing their funds.  You might want to look at Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, CARE, Samaritan's Purse, again IFRC (which is the largest single operation in the country).  They all work with local partners in the Philippines.  And they were all on the ground either right before the typhoon hit or immediately after.

I would add to that list Médicins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).  Please tick the box to restrict the donation to the Philippine relief effort.

If you are in the United States, donating can be as simple as sending a text message to donate $10 to relief operations (source:  Huffington Post):

Salvation Army
100 percent of all disaster donations will be used for relief efforts and "to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors." Text TYPHOON to 80888 to Donate $10 or give online.

Operation USA 
The Los Angeles-based nonprofit is sending much-needed water purification supplies to victims and seeking corporate partners to help with delivery. Donate $10 by texting AID to 50555 or give online.

Remember that kindness and compassion go a long way.  Treat survivors with respect and dignity.  It could easily be you or someone you love at the wrong end of a disaster.

The Filipinos are a strong, resilient people.  We will rise again.

 ***

18 December 2013

Please read this article that came out in the Washington Post:  Five Myths About Helping the Philippines

If Every Kid Did It...

Remember this cartoon from Sesame Street?

 

Well, the following trailer documents what happens "if every kid did it".  Except that it wasn't filmed in  some big city.  It was shot on Midway Island (yes, of the "Battle of Midway"), which is quite literally in the middle of nowhere, where there are more birds than humans (Midway's human population: 60).

You are nowhere.  (Source: Wikipedia.)

In spite of the island's distance from the rest of the world, it is clearly not unaffected by our carelessness.

The next time you unthinkingly toss something into the sea, please remember the consequences.

 

To support this project, please click here.

Amen.

(Click here for source.)

Divine Intervention (and Donations) Needed

Rachel Divine, in her own words:

"A lot of you know me as the yoga therapist and many of you know me thru something yoga related.

I love what I do and couldn’t imagine a life without yoga and the amazing healing powers it can bring.

For the past ten years, I have been working with people who have a range of issues from stress to inflexibility, slipped discs, Cancer and Heart Disease.  I have helped people get more in tune with themselves and to remember that the “Relax is on the Exhale.” 

And well… Speaking of exhaling... It is now my turn to exhale.

I was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer."

Rachel Divine and her dog, Zena, the Warrior Princess.

Rachel has moved from Panama back to Los Angeles to seek treatment.

Please help my crazy, beautiful friend.  No amount is too small.  Your next dinner bill could go a long way to getting Rachel the help she needs in winning her battle against cancer.

Please click here for more information on how you can help.

Thank you in advance to everyone who donates and passes on this message for Rachel!

After the Storm: An Appeal for Help

When Typhoon Ketsana (local name:  Ondoy) hit the Philippines, because it affected Luzon where Manila, the capital, is situated, it was all over my Facebook newsfeed.  News reports, photos, videos, information on how and where to donate and volunteer, photos of donating and volunteering...

Typhoon Bopha (local name:  Pablo) was a Category 5 Super Typhoon, with one-minute sustained winds of 260 km/h.  It was closer in force to Hurricane Katrina which, at its height, had one-minute sustained winds of 280 km/h.  (Ketsana's was 165 km/h and Washi's, local name:  Sendong, was 95 km/h.)

Note:  Katrina was only a Category 1 when it made its first landfall in Florida, and was a Category 3 (205 km/h) when it made its second landfall in Louisiana.  Its third landfall, near the border of Louisiana and Mississippi, was also a Category 3 at 195 km/h.  Bopha slammed into Mindanao with its full force, as a Category 5 with sustained winds of 260 km/h.  Imagine something ramming into your house at that speed. 

Now check out the 28-foot storm surge of Katrina:

 

Prediction for Siargao, when it was still in Bopha's path, was 40-foot waves.  I have no information as to the final height of the surge but the fatalities and the disappeared are testimony to the power of Bopha.

Yet, because Bopha made landfall in Southern Mindanao, far away from the capital, there's hardly a peep about it on my Facebook newsfeed.  And, let's face it, Facebook is the barometer for what's on people's minds.  There's a lot of talk about Pacquiao's recent loss, the Reproductive Health Bill, the recent concerts of Elton John and Sting, the Azkals game, all those 12s in today's date, and the never-ending food porn, but there's hardly anything about the widespread destruction that Bopha left in its wake.  Granted that a lot of my Filipino friends on Facebook are from Manila and the chatter on other newsfeeds might be very different from the ones that appear on mine, but my friends also happen to be respected business leaders, news makers, society figures, opinion shapers, journalists...  They are pretty influential and the ones capable of any actual help.

I, for one, would like to keep this in the news because Bopha had Siargao Island in its sights, before it sank its hooks into the south.  It could have easily been us who had lost everything.  More than the damage to property, we could have lost friends and loved ones.  We could have lost our own lives.

Last December 2, the Philippine Star published this news item that sounded hopeful for Davao's banana industry.  On December 6, two days after Bopha made landfall, my friend published these photos that her husband took of the banana plantations in Compostela Valley.

(Photos c/o Sonny and Jackie Dizon.)

The death toll is now at 647 with 780 still missing.  Bopha has left people homeless and desperate, and food supply is dangerously low.

Here is a link to a video of some of the damage in Davao.

We've taken up a collection here in Siargao to help in our own little way, but here is some information on how you can help.  Maybe instead of giving gifts this Christmas, you can make donations to the typhoon victims in the name of your friends.  Every little bit helps.  $100 can go a long way in feeding the hungry here.  And I hope that you pass this around and keep this in the news so that those whose lives were destroyed by Typhoon Bopha will not be forgotten and will be given a chance to rebuild.

***

• If you would like to get in touch with someone on the ground, Jackie Dizon, who provided the photos above, has furnished me with a name of a friend of hers who has been helping out.  Please send an email to me at [email protected] for her contact details.
• Ways to help, a compiled by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
• Ways to help, as compiled by Interaksyon.
• Launch of "Project Pablo" by the Angel Brigade Collective:
  
  WHO ARE INVOLVED:
  
  (1) Angel Brigade Volunteers
  (2) Isdanco Foundation
  (3) Lapanday Agricultural and Dev't Corp. - Onsite Davao Repacking
  (4) Land Rover Club of the Philippines (LRCP)
  (5) LRCP Emergency Response Team
  (6) Malaysian Medical Mission Volunteers from Malaysia Elite Disaster Rescue Foundation
  (7) Santa Fe Relocators
  (8) The Joe Green Project
  (9) ReliefPH Volunteers
  (10) Pusong Minero
  (11) Habitat for Humanity Philippines
  
  OPERATIONS FLOW:
  
  - Lapanday Agricultural and Dev't Corp. will have its volunteers sort and repack donations in kind, onsite at its DAVAO office.
  - Cash donations will be transferred by Angel Brigade to Lapanday to purchase more relief goods.
  - Transportation of relief goods from Davao to Compostela Valley (and vice versa) will be managed by LRCP/LRCP Emergency Response Team (in coordination with other able transport groups).
  - All relief goods will be delivered to Habitat for Humanity's central operations in Monkayo; where these will be distributed by volunteers to evacuation sites and outlying areas.
  - Medical Missions will also be managed by LRCP Emergency Response Team starting with the Malaysian Medical Mission volunteers of the Malaysia Elite Disaster Rescue Foundation who are expected to be in Compostela Valley Dec. 15 - 18.
  - Additional onsite Davao and Compostela Valley volunteers will be arranged by Angel Brigade, The Joe Green Project, and Habitat for Humanity Philippines.
  - Assistance in "helping spread the word" will be provided by the volunteers of ReliefPH via all possible social networks
  
  HOW TO HELP:
  
  A. For all CASH donations, kindly deposit to:
  
  Account Name - Isdanco Foundation Inc.
  Philippine Depository Bank - Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) Bank
  Account Number - PESO Savings Acct No. 4-001-57757-9
  Bank Address - RCBC Head Office, Yuchengco Tower, RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Ave., Makati City, Philippines
  SWIFT Code - RCBCPHMM
  
  CASH donations will be used to purchase relief goods, clean-up kits, toiletries, meds, and other items immediately needed by survivors of Typhoon "Pablo" in Southern Mindanao. Donors are requested to eMail [email protected] so we can identify/properly acknowledge CASH donations.
  
  B. For all donations in KIND, kindly bring to:
  
  (1) Priority Drop-Off Site (DAVAO): For immediate sorting/repacking onsite
  Lapanday Agricultural & Dev't Corp.,
  Maryknoll Drive, Barrio Pampanga, Lanang, Davao City
  (It is after Insular Hotel; go straight and turn right at Jollibee; Lapanday is the 1st building on the right)
  Contact: Debbie Cruz (Mobile: +63917-548-7242 or eMail: [email protected])
  
  (2) Optional Drop-Off Site (Makati): To be shipped to Lapanday Davao Angel Brigade c/o Isdanco Foundation
  2/F Franck Provost Bldg., 120 Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati City
  
  C. What items are urgently needed by Lapanday Repacking Center in Davao?
  
  - Canned Goods (preferably flip-top cans)
  - Uncooked rice
  - Noodle packs
  - Bottled Water
  - Bread (long shelf life)
  - Water-purification tablets
  - Large water jugs and water containers (for drinking water)
  - Flashlights with extra Batteries or solar-chargeable portable lamps
  - Cooking pots / pans / Stirrers
  - Reusable Dining utensils (plates, spoons/forks, drinking cups)
  - Toiletries (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, face towels, sanitary napkins)
  - Plastic pails and buckets (to help store water and for clean-up operations)
  - Used / Discarded advertising tarps (for immediate temporary shelters and/or dry sleeping mats). If tarp donors are in Metro-Manila, kindly deliver to "Sante Fe Relocators", Address: First Avenue, Mañalac, Bagumbayan, Taguig City, Tel: +632-838-1761 to 64. Look for Elizer Babao or Jun Atienza (operations supervisors). Note to Tarp Donors: Please say that the tarps are for Typhoon Pablo Relief Operations c/o Land Rover Club of the Philippines and Pusong Minero. Indicate the name and contact particulars of the donor or donor's representative.
  - Milk for children (long shelf life, no need to refrigerate)
  - Milk/Food for Babies (long shelf life, no need to refrigerate)
  - Vitamins for Children and/or Adults
  - Diapers, Anti-bacterial wet wipes, alcohol-based antiseptics for kids/babies
  - Blankets, clothes and shoes (for all ages)
  - Meds (Priority is: Anti-Tetanus Serum, AntiDiarrheal Drugs, Antibiotics, and Cough/Colds/Fever Medicine). You can directly drop-off Meds donations to any of the following sites:
  
  Lapanday Agricultural and Dev't Corp. (c/o LRCP Medical Missions)
  Maryknoll Drive, Barrio Pampanga, Lanang, Davao City
  Contact: Debbie Cruz (Mobile: +63917-548-7242 or eMail: [email protected])
  
  Ariel "Ayi" C. Hernandez
  Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc.
  Katilingbanong Pamahandi sa Mindanaw Foundation Inc.
  Bangko sa Balay Foundation Inc.
  Mobile : 09188987777
  
  Door 3, Balay Mindanaw Peace Center
  #53A, 12th Street, Zone 2, Upper Bulua
  9000 Cagayan de Oro City
  TeleFax. 08822 738304/ 738376
  
  Balay Mindanaw Kalambuan Center
  Purok 1, Brgy 23
  9014 Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental
  Tel. 08842 7879
  
  Other Meds urgently needed:
  
  Oresol /ORS Box of 25′s 200 Box
  Cotrimoxazole 200mg Suspension Box of 144′s 80 Box
  Cotrimoxazole, 400mg tablet Box of 100′s 2,190 Box
  Hyosin Tablet Box of 100′s 1,105 Box
  Loperamide Tablet Box of 100′s 1,000 Box
  Paracetamol, 500mg Tablet Box of 100′s 1,105 Box
  Paracetamol Drops Box of 72′s 80 Box
  Paracetamol , 125mg Suspension Box of 144′s 80 Box
  Paracetamol, 250mg Suspension Box of 144′s 80 Box
  Mefenamic Capsule, 500mg Box of 100′s 1,105 Box
  Amoxicillin Capsule, 500mg Box of 100′s 2,190 Box
  Amoxicillin Suspension, 125mg Box of 144′s 80 Box
  Cefalexin Capsule, 500mg Box of 100′s 2,190 Box
  Cefalexin Suspension, 125mg Box of 144′s 80 Box
  Amoxicillin Pedia Box of 72′s 80 Box
  Cefalexin Drops Box of 72′s 80 Box
  Metrodinazole Tablet, 500mg Box of 100′s 1,105 Box
  Metrodinazole Syrup Box of 144′s 80 Box
  Tetanus Toxoid .5ml Ampule 2,500 Ampule
  Multivitamins Capsule Box of 100′s 1,000 Box
  Captopril 25mg Tablet Box of 100′s 225 Box
  Metoprolol 100mg Tablet Box of 100′s 225 Box
  Carbocistien 500mg Capsule Box of 100′s 1,075 Box
  Carbocistien Syrup Box of 144′s 48 Box
  Salbutamol Tablet Box of 100′s 1,000 Box
  Salbutamol Syrup Box of 144′s 48 Box
  PPA Capsule Box of 100′s 130 Box
  PPA Syrup Box of 144′s 48 Box
  PPA Drops Box of 144′s 48 Box
  Dipenhydramine Capsule Box 0f 100′s 200 Box
  Zinc Ointment Tube 600 Tube
  Multivitamins Syrup Box of 144′s 60 Box
  Multivitamins Drops Box of 144′s 100 Box
  Ranitidine 150mg Tablet Box of 100′s 150 Box
  Methergene 20 Ampule
  Vitamin K 20 Ampule
  ATS 1500 “iu”
  Alcohol 30 Bottles
  Plaster Box of 10′s 6 Boxes
  Cotton Roll 9 Rolls
  Elastic Bandage 1,000 Rolls
  
  Should you have further questions on how you can help, please do not hesitate to eMail: [email protected] or SMS/Call +639189016402. Maraming salamat po!

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Blaming It On The Rain, And Then Some

Well, the rains have gotten in the way of my hard reset.  I certainly wasn't going anywhere yesterday in that downpour and, more than 24 hours later, it's still going.  And it's going STRONG.

I live near the Marikina River and I'm pretty sure that to say that it's overflowed is an understatement, considering that the church near us is already in danger of flooding, and we're on pretty high ground.  But I'm not really worried about us.  If it ever floods where we are, then the end of the world is nigh, and no amount of worrying will help.

But the flooding of Manila happens almost like clockwork every year, and we're still ill-equipped to handle it.  You'd think that the government would spend more time cleaning out sewers in the summer time, or equipping and training more rescue teams than playing the musical chairs game they like to call "Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Who Is The Most Corrupt Of All?"

Oh, there are government hotlines you can call.

Have you ever tried calling any of these numbers?  You're lucky if anyone answers.  And, even if they do, there's not much they can do to help anyway.  So you can actually understand why they don't answer the phones.

There was one time I left my shopping bags in a taxi.  They were on the front seat, next to the driver so, yes, he knew they were there.  It's a good thing our guard was able to take down the cab's license plate.  So I called the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communication) hotline and reported the incident.  I had to call them a few times because it was the weekend or it was lunch time or something or other, and then they had to coordinate with the LTO (Land Transportation Office) but, finally, after a few days, they called me back with an address and a telephone number.  The telephone number, they informed me, was bogus.  But they could give me the address and I could go there myself to confront the cab driver.

Me.  Not them.  Me.

So this is what hotlines in the Philippines are for.

While I love this country with all my heart, it certainly has a long way to go as far as public service is concerned.

Here's a look of what's been happening in the metropolis.

This is the North Luzon Expressway, not a river.  (Photo c/o Charie Villa.)

A friend of mine sent out this plea on Facebook:  "Emergency!  Need a private institution that provides rescue services!  Need to extract a family that resides in the Banawe area.  A mother and four kids who do not have water and food, and do not know how to swim.  Badly needed.  Thanks!"  (If you know anyone who can help, please contact Lean Villanueva; it's his aunt and cousins that need help.  His mobile number is +63-918-585-2163.)

As I write this, the rains haven't abated.  They have, in fact, intensified.  If you would like to help the victims of flooding, please see the following:

"We appeal to our compassionate and generous donors.  The Rizal Chapter is currently serving families at the evacuation centers at Muntinlupa, Makati, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, Marikina, San Juan, (Cainta, Taytay, Angono by) Dugong East Rizal, Antipolo City, Tanay, Jalajala, San Mateo and Rodriguez areas.  We are currently serving hot meals.  Families at evacuation centers need blankets, mats, clean water and food.  Please help and send donations."

***

Update:

We've had a short repreive from the rains, but they've started up again.  Here's another way you can help.  (Reposting from Facebook.)

"All LBC Express Inc. local and international branches (- that includes Asia, Europe, the U.S. and the Middle East) are accepting donations and will serve as drop-off centers for the PHILIPPINE RED CROSS starting today, Aug 8.

Most needed are blankets, water, milk, rice, baby diapers, mats, toiletries, and easy-to-eat food like biscuits. Please make sure that these are properly labled as "donations" and we will make sure that these are immediately sent to the Red Cross and their evacuation centers.

Please address donations to "LBC Foundation" to avail of this free service. Donations sent to specific individuals/groups will be charged accordingly. 

Note: When packing relief goods to donate, please try not to use plastic bags. Instead, use pillow cases, a blanket, a towel or an old shirt to wrap up your donations. Plastics in the sewers are part of what got us in this state in the first place."

Please see this link for more details.

The Rose With Too Many Thorns

Life was never a bed of roses for Rose.  She was crippled by polio at an early age.  The love of her life died, leaving her a young, single mother.  She met another man but that relationship didn't work out although, before he split, he left her with another child to raise on her own.

She became a home-service masseuse, and that's how I met her.  One of my best friends recommended her to me.  I liked Rose right away.  She had good, strong hands that found all my knots.  She never watched the time and would only leave when she knew I was satisfied with the massage.  We had a nice, easy banter so that, in the past 15 or so years that we've known each other, I've come to know Rose's life story.

She had this infuriating habit of taking people into her home, when she, clearly, could not afford it.  Her sister's children, their friends, strangers...  They often outstayed their welcome and abused her hospitality, but I think she endured their disrespect so that her children wouldn't be alone at night, when she went to work at other people's homes.

When she finally kicked out all the deadbeats from her house, she enjoyed a brief respite, until her now-grown-temperamental-son-who-cannot-keep-a-job got his girlfriend pregnant.

Rose knew she couldn't be a masseuse forever.  Her work kept her up till the wee hours of the morning, leaving her exhausted and short-tempered with her family during the day.

Her customer base was limited and unpredictable.  They traveled a lot.  Sometimes, they relocated abroad altogether.  Some were spoiled and let her wait for hours, causing her to lose business and anger clients left waiting.  Some sexually harassed her, forcing her to terminate her professional relationship with them.

Giving massages was also hard on her body and she complained of various aches.  She found it ironic that her job was to relieve people of pain and yet she herself was in a constant state of it.  She had never received a massage in her life and yearned for one.

(Internet file photo.)

One time, I presented her a wooden massage tool.  She was very grateful and she would have her children massage her with it.  But her children tired easily and lost interest before she could find relief so, one day, she lay on top of it and, of course, it broke underneath her weight.  Since then, she has resorted to lying and rolling herself atop empty Coke bottles.

Rose was always looking for ways to augment her income, hoping to find that one big break that would bring in a steady salary and, hopefully, enable her to retire from massaging.  But I guess people could smell the desperation on her.  She was eager to believe anyone who promised her a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  She'd be all wide-eyed and excited, telling me about the latest venture she had gotten into and I swear I'd try to warn her, but she'd be so convinced that this was finally her way out - well, she had no choice, having already sunk all her money into it - that when she returned, months later, quiet and despondent, I wouldn't have the heart to tell her, "I told you so."

It was a story that would repeat itself over and over, with different players (most of them her own relatives) and different scenarios but, always, with the same ending - with her disappointed and broke.

One day, she submitted her life story to a radio station in some bizarre who-has-the-worst-life-story contest.  Not surprisingly, she won.  The prize money was P100,000 and, for the first time in a long time, Rose felt truly hopeful.  She invested her winnings in computers and put up an internet cafe.

A few months later, Typhoon Ketsana (local name:  Ondoy) happened.  It was the worst typhoon to ever hit the Philippines.  Rose, who lived right where the flood waters were deepest, was lucky to have survived.  Her home and her computers were not.

Slowly, she tried to rebuild her life.  But with spas and cheap home-service massage companies sprouting up everywhere, she could no longer compete.  Being crippled meant that she had to take taxis everywhere, which meant that she had to charge more than double the rate of more professional home massage services.

I stuck with Rose for as long as I could but I must confess that I now rely on the services of another woman who lives a few houses from me and can come over as soon as I need her (without the long waits Rose was notorious for), for half the price.

So, this year, I lost touch with Rose.

Recently, she's been in my thoughts though.  While I was at the hospital, two weeks ago, visiting my uncle in the medical ICU, I learned that one of Rose's last - and best - customers was confined in the room next door.  His condition is critical and, given his advanced age, it doesn't look like he'll make it.  I wondered how she was faring.

Then, last Friday, in the middle of the night, I got an unexpected text message from her.  The last time I had spoken to her, she had found a lump on her breast and had an appointment to see a doctor.  I had forgotten all about that, but her message that night informed me that she had just had her left breast removed.

(Internet file photo.)

We corresponded throughout the evening and she confessed to me how weary she felt.  She knew that she could no longer work, and she despaired about finding the strength to start over.

The next day, I sent her some money to help with her medicines.  Still, I am at a loss as to how to I can help in the long term.  I cannot afford to employ her and she, obviously, cannot manage money wisely.  Yet, she's turning 50 next year and has four other mouths to feed.  If she can no longer give massages, how can she and the rest of her family survive?

A few days ago, one of my friends posted an article about that bus monitor in the U.S. who received $225,000 through the kindess of strangers on Reddit.  I'm not entirely sure what Reddit is although I am pretty sure that I do not have its reach, but it did give me the idea of posting Rose's story here.  I hope her story gets passed around and will touch some people to try to help in whatever way they can.  Maybe somebody somewhere can help in terms of giving her some form of sustainable livelihood.  Or help with her daughter's schooling.  Or whip her son into shape.  It's a long shot but "nothing ventured, nothing gained", right?

Rose.

For those who would like to donate something to help Rose get back on her crutches, here are her bank account details:

• Bank name:  Banco De Oro
• Swift code:  BNORPHMM
• Account name:  Rosalinda S. Capua
• Savings account number:  0000-7017-8976

Thank you in advance for all your help, even if it's just to pass on Rose's story.

***

Update:

26 June 2012

Rose doesn't know that I've written this story.  I don't want to get her hopes up, in case things don't work out.

Someone suggested that she open a PayPal account.  I've checked and she will need a credit or debit card to receive money and I doubt very much if a bank will open a line of credit for her.  She barely had enough money to keep her account open.  (She had P500 in it.)

I sent her a message this morning and, apparently, she's still at the hospital.  She was supposed to be discharged last Friday but she can't leave because she still has bills to settle and is waiting for help from other clients.  She asked if I knew where she could borrow a wheelchair.

3 July 2012

I had to tell Rose that I wrote about her so that I could ask her to send me some pictures.  Her son e-mailed me these photos last Saturday, which I've since uploaded to the story.

This was Rose last week as she was waiting to be released.