Struck by Typhoon Ondoy!

When sister and I was travelling in South Korea, I was receiving some text messages from my cousin and friends asking if we’ve heard about the flood and typhoon, and said hope our parents are ok, after about 5 messages, then we decided to call our mom to ask what really is happening.

When we called our mom to ask what is it all about she said in a groggy voice: You want to know? It rained for ten hours straight and 2 of our cars parked inside our house were submerged. Your father and I were stuck in traffic for 12 hours, we left at 9:30 AM and we arrived, not even to our house, but to the office, at 11PM, we’re now stuck in the office.

WHAT?!!? We understood from the messages that it was raining, but we didn’t realize that it was this grave. When we went back to the hostel, we logged into facebook and saw horrifying photos from all over Metro Manila. This typhoon was merciless; it hit rich and poor areas all the same. Here are some flickr compilation of Typhoon Ondoy’s wrath:


I think Filipinos are great; we are optimists and firm believers of God, even though problems like this arise, they never fail to see the silver lining. In fact, I think Filipinos ONLY see the silver lining. It is one thing to be proud of, that’s why the suicide rate is very low.

My friend was stranded with a bunch of people at West Avenue and has been standing around the area for hours and instead of complaining and grumble while waiting; they watched the cars manoeuvre the flooded streets and applauded those who were successful. Haha.

On a more serious note, the flood was apparently brought about also by the opening of 2 dams within Metro Manila thats why the water rose so fast. For those who want to help, I would like to share the compilation by The Pinoy Chuva and Banggigay

Things you may want to donate:

1) Bottled Water
2) Instant Noodles (preferrably in bowl packaging like Nissin or Lucky Me)
3) Canned Goods w/ pull tab cover (no can opener available in relief centers)
4) Bread or Biscuits
5) Coffee or Juice
6) Multivitamins (preferrably Vitamin C)
7) Medicines (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Loperamide, Betadine)
8) Blankets
9) Old but wearable clothes
10) Slippers/ Flip flops
11) Alcohol
12) Some organizations will accept cash donations.
13) Anti-mosquito Lotion

For babies/toddlers:
14) Diapers
15) Milk/ Infant Formula

For USA Residents:
1) Help in the typhoon relief effort by calling ABS-CBN Foundation USA toll-free 1-800-527-2820
2) American Red Cross call 1-800-435-7669

For those near ABS-CBN:
Help pack relief goods at Sagip Kapamilya at #13 Examiner St. They are also looking for people willing to go to provinces and distribute the goods.

For those near The Philippine Daily Inquirer Office or a McDonald’s Branch:
Go to: 1098 Chino Roces Ave. cor. Mascardo and Yague Streets, Makati City or to any of its classified ads branches and to any Mcdonald’s Branch within Metro Manila
Hotline: 8978808 loc.260 and look for Megi Garcia

For the Cebuanos who want to help:
Please click on the link>> Living For A Cause

For those near a La Salle School:
(OPLAN: Sagip Metro) DLSZ (Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa) and LSGH (Greenhills) are now accepting relief goods and looking for volunteers from 8am to 6pm. DLSU- Manila (Taft Avenue) will accept relief goods as early as 8:00 A.M. at South Gate

For those near Ateneo De Manila:
Go To: Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights , Quezon City
Manuel V. Pangilinan Building Center for Student Leadership Lobby
University Dorm Cervini Hall
Hotlines: 09089977166, 09178952792, 4266001 local 5050
Operations: 24-hours operations for the entire week.

For those near a Petron Station or 2Go Branches:
Visit any Petron or 2GO Branches to drop off your donations.

The Philippine National Red Cross:
Monetary Donations

1. CASH or CHECK
Please send cash or check donations to the PNRC National Headquarters in Manila. Checks should be made payable to The Philippine National Red Cross. We can also arrange for donation pick-up.

2. BANK DEPOSIT
Account Name: The Phil. Nat’l. Red Cross
METROBANK
Port Area Branch
Peso Acct.: 151-3-041-63122-8
Dollar Acct.: 151-2-151-00218-2
Type of Acct. : SAVINGS
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS
Port Area Branch
Peso Acct.: 4991-0010-99
Type of Account: CURRENT

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS
UN Branch
Dollar Acct.: 8114-0030-94
Type of Account: SAVINGS
Swift Code: BOPI PH MM
For your donations to be properly acknowledged, please fax the bank transaction slip at nos. +63.2.527.0575 or +63.2.404.0979 with your name, address and contact number.

3. CREDIT CARD

Please fax the following info to +632.404.09.79 and +632.527.0575:

Name of card member, billing address, contact nos. (phone & mobile), credit card no., expiration date, CCV2/ CVC2 (last three digits at the back of the credit card), billing address, amount to be donated.

4. ON-LINE DONATION you may also visit our website at www.redcross.org.ph .

5. IN KINDS DONATION

Other Ways You Can Help:

1) Visit a branch of the Philippine National Red Cross and volunteer.

1.1) You can also send donations using your mobile phone: text REDAMOUNT and send to 2899 (GLOBE/TM) and 4483 (SMART/ TNT).

1.2) Globe is accepting P300 txt donation through G-Cash text DONATEAMOUNT4-digit M-PINREDCROSS to 2882

2) Visit Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC)
Go To: 72-A Times St., West Triangle Homes , QC
Hotlines: 9299820, 9299822
Operations: 8 a.m. onwards.

3)Radio Veritas
Go To: Veritas Tower , West Ave. cor EDSA
Look For: Karla Turingan
Hotlines: 9257931 to 39, 0918VERITAS
Operations: 24-hours, tentatively until Tuesday.

4) Victory Fellowship- Fort Bonifacio
Go to: Victory Fellowship, Every Nation Building , across from Market-Market, Fort Bonifacio
Look for: Pastor Bernard Marquez
Hotlines: 813-FORT, 8171212
Operations: Tentatively until 5pm may may extend hours. Entire week until Friday.
Website: www.twitter.com/VictoryFort

5) Tulong Bayan
Go to: Balay Expo Center, EDSA (northbound) cor. Gen McArthur, Araneta Center (right across Samson College) or visit WhiteSpace 2314 Pasong Tamo Ext. beside Faith Christian School
Hotline: 09175273906/ 09086579998/ 9137122/ 9136254/ 9133306
Operations: Come as early as 8:00 a.m.
Open to volunteers/ cash and goods donation

6) World Vision Philippines
Go to: Quezon Avenue (near Delta Theatre)
Open to volunteers/ cash and goods donation

7) Corporate Network for Disaster Response
How to: Donate cash through BPI Ayala-Paseo Branch with account number 0031 0654 02

Luzon Relief
Go to: Renaissance Fitness Center, 2F, Bramante Bldg., Renaissance Towers, Ortigas, Meralco Ave., Pasig City
Hotline: 0929-8713488
Operations: 9am to 7pm Daily
Open to volunteers/goods donation

9) Brainbeam Events
Go to: 2F MB Aguirre Cornerhouse Bldg 15, President Ave. cor Elizalde St. BF Pque. Across old Caltex
Goods donation

INTERNATIONAL

Send a letter of intent to donate to the PNRC
A letter of acceptance from PNRC shall be sent back to the donor
Immediately after shipping the goods, please send the (a) original Deed of Donation, (b) copy of packing list and (c) original Airway Bill for air shipments or Bill of Lading for sea shipments to The Philippine National Red Cross–National Headquarters c/o Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang, Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila 2803, Philippines.
The PNRC does not accept rotten, damaged, expired or decayed goods. Though we appreciate your generosity, the PNRC also discourages donations of old clothes as we have more than enough to go around.

Singapore:
Drop off point for Ondoy relief goods:
Afreight Cargo,#03-09 Lucky Plaza,Orchard Road c/o Maureen Schepers 6235-1011.
Also LBC and I-remit singapore are waiving charges for donations to philippine red cross.

Bangkok, Thailand:
The Philippine Embassy will be receiving only donations in kind (ie., used clothing, shoes, blankets, and the like, and canned goods) anytime between 9am-5pm until Fri. Philippine Embassy at (02) 259-0139 up to 40 or (08) 992-65954, or at bangkokpe@gmail.com.

Hong Kong, China:
Cash Donations to HSBC Account No. 808-416564-001 – Ateneo Alumni Association – Hong Kong Chapter
Contact: Mike Reyes at +852.67131869 or please text 62957677 the amount and time of deposit.

Sydney, Australia:
please deliver donations to: 303/5 Stromboli Strait, Homebush Bay 2127

South Korea:
Deposit Cash Donations at: KOOKMIN BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER (498101-01-232756).

Montreal, Canada:
St. Kevin’s or St. Thomas on St. Laurent Blvd., (http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Local+Filipinos+mobilizing+help+flood+victims/2041585/story.html)

Belgium:
contact Shiera Catalan at +32485328811

For those who are from USA:

Donate through Ayala Foundation USA at the box “DONATION FOR:” drop down and select Philippine National Red Cross

New York pls participate to NAFCON’s disaster relief and rehabilitation program. Pls call Anne Beryl at 516.901.1632 (East Coast) or Ryan 626.534.4971 (West Coast) or call their hotline: 718.565.8862 or send them email to sandiwa.national@gmail.com.

Ondoy New York Disaster Relief drop off center @ Pandayan Center
406 W 40th St. Between 9th and 10th Aves. New York, NY 10018 or call 212.564.6057.

California (Carson/Hermosa Beach): They collecting donations to send to flood victims in Manila. Their goal is to fill up a 40ft container in one week with new or used clothing,shoes, blankets,medicines,canned food items, etc. Dropoff Location : 205 West Torrance Blvd, Carson, CA 90745. They will be setting up a booth on Oct 3, 2009 at the Substance event in Hermosa Beach CA. THANK YOU and God Bless Manila. TWITTER (Socal4Ondoy)

California (Cerritos): Their house is temp drop off point while we find a bigger venue. We’ll facilitate immediate shipment to Manila. Thank you in advance for your help. Pls pass. Dino & Jan Home:16622 Amberwood Way Cerritos, CA 90703; (562)404-0625

California (Daly City): Please contact Ryan Leano (626)534-4971. Liwanag Cultural Center, Hillside Park Clubhouse, 222 Lausanne Ave., Daly City‎, CA‎ 94014.

California (LA): Relief goods accepted in LA! ANSWER ofc, 137 Virgil St, Rm 203, Los Angeles, CA

or TULONG SA PILIPINAS (STP): Accepting donations cash or check. Send to People’s CORE, 1610 Beverly Blvd. Suite No 2, Los Angeles, Ca 90026. Donations more than $50 is tax deductible.

California (Oakland): Please contact Ryan Leano (626)534-4971. Asian Pacific Islander Youth Promoting Advocacy & Leadership. Attn: Armael Malinis, AnakBayan-East Bay. 310 8th Street, Suite 215. Oakland, CA 94710


California (San Francisco): Stanford’s Pilipino American Student Union (PASU) is also collecting donations to be sent to the Philippines to help victims of Typhoon Ondoy (international name Ketsana). If you would like to make a donation, please contact AV David at avhdavid@stanford.edu or (650) 491-4561.

New Jersey:

Sinugba Cafe – 561 Westside Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07304;
Casa Victoria – 691 Newark Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07306-2803;
or you can send cash through Metro Bank acct. 3 189 14540 1 For BAYAN’s “BALSA” (Bayanihan Alay sa Sambayanan).

For donations in New Jersey please contact: (201)621-3156-Yves Nibungco or Nick Corder(917)476-7855-

for friends in other parts of the world, you may check:

1. TXTPower.org has set up a paypal account for donations. Your money will be forwarded to Red Cross.

2. PhilippineAid.com: http://www.philippineaid.com/

3. Ayala Foundation: http://www.myayala.com/ondoy/

4. World Food Programme: https://www.wfp.org/donate/ondoy

for donations coming from various parts of the Philippines, PAL will accept goods bound to MNL. pls hop here for more info