While most Filipinos are completing their Christmas shopping over the weekend, many of our Filipino brothers and sisters suffered the wrath of what could probably be the strongest and deadliest typhoon in the
Among hardest hit was my hometown, Cagayan de Oro.
I was not completely aware of the impending typhoon that was about to hit the Philippines last weekend. On Friday, I called in sick as I was having severe menstrual cramps and bleeding – let’s not get to the details. At around 3:00 AM on Saturday, I saw Melissa’s, a childhood friend, Facebook post asking if there’s anyone she can contact in Manila or any government agency to help her family who is stranded in the midst of fast-rising floodwater. I started to panic, my Tita lived within the same baranggay. I checked on PAG-ASA’s website and found out that the storm was somewhere northwest of CDO. I initially shrugged it off and went to bed.
When I woke up the following morning, my Twitter and Facebook feeds were filled with not-so-good updates on the state of our beloved city.
I immediately called my Mom, but her phone was unattended. Panic started to grow. I tried calling my brother, thankfully, he picked up. My family was spared, their only issue was power and water outage. While our house was not hit by the ravaging floods, my Tita Liza (who is more like a second Mom to me and one of my Mom’s closest sisters) and her family lost everything they have to the flood. They have not been able to get in touch with any of my Tita’s family until around 7:00 PM.
My family is safe. Thank God – that’s a reason to celebrate for us. We celebrate because God kept my family safe.
But there are more Kagay-anons who have not been able to survive… Or are still trying to pick up the pieces.
For us who have been spared, it’s but fitting to pitch in our share – in cash or in kind. If you have old clothes, mats, blankets, towels, drinking water, rice, just about anything that you’d like to donate, they’d be very welcome.
In-kind donations can be sent thru the following:
- Any JRS Express branch nationwide for free delivery. You may also contact 02.631.7351 to 56 for assistance.
- Aboitiz and Negros Navigation have ships ready to transport emergency/relief goods and equipment bound for Cagayan de Oro / Iligan. For bulk items, bring directly to Abotiz/Negros Navigation, Pier 2, Manila. Call 02.211.5484 for more information.
- For those who are near UP Diliman / Quezon City area, you may drop off your donations at Moon Leaf Tea Shop (@moonleafteashop) along Maginhawa Street in UP Village.
Cash donations can be sent to:
Account Name: Xavier University
Account Number: 9331 0133 63
BPI CDO – Divisoria Branch
Those who wish to receive receipts for their donations may email finance@xu.edu.ph with the following details for proper acknowledgement:
- Donor’s Name
- Receiving Branch
- Date
- Amount
Philippine Red Cross also accepts donations through Cebuana Lhuillier:
- Donations are accepted in any of the 1,500 Cebuana Lhuillier pawnshops nationwide.
- For your donations to be properly acknowledged, please fax the bank transaction slip at nos. 02.527.0575 or 02.404.0979 with your name, address and contact number.
Banco De Oro (Swift Code: BNORPHMM)
Peso: 00-453-0018647
Dollar: 10-453-0039482
Bank of the Philippine Islands (Swift Code: BOPIPHMM)
Peso: 4991-0036-52
Dollar: 004994-0103-15
Metrobank (Swift Code: MBTCPHMM)
Peso: 151-3-041631228
Dollar: 151-2-15100218-2
Philippine National Bank (Swift Code: PNBMPHMM)
Peso: 3752 8350 0034
Dollar: 3752 8350 0042
Unionbank of the Philippines (Swift Code: UNPHPHMM)
Peso: 1015 4000 0201
Dollar: 1315 4000 0090
For those who are in Cagayan de Oro, my Mom's school will be having a soup kitchen today at 8 AM at Calacal, Tibasak, Macasandig. They would be feeding around 200 people and will be giving medicines for cough, colds, fever, etc. For those who are within the area, please feel free to drop by. Donations are also accepted.
PROCARE Foundation
Vamenta Compound, Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro
(in front of Macasandig Barangay Hall / beside Corpus Christi High School)
Contact # 08822 714553
A little help can go a long way. A little help can save someone’s life.
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I felt so sad about this catastrophic incident, I hope that people of the Philippines will then realize the value of our dear nature… stop illegal logging before the whole country plunge as a river…
ReplyDeleteNice post. Thanks for sharing. I hope that preventative measures can be put in place soon. One thing that can be done which costs nothing is each individual take responsibility for their garbage and put it where it belongs instead of throwing it all over the streets, rivers, and everywhere else.
ReplyDelete