Devastation in the Philippines

[LoopaDaLoopa]

Whole cities still not yet accounted for. :( Estimated 10,000 dead on the island of Leyte alone, according to some sources.

I have close friends who are missing their entire families. :( Why is this not being discussed on MN, or have I missed it?

[MasterOfTheYoniverse]

Great news!

[OhYouBadBadKaleds]

Really really good news LifeMovesOn :)

[LifeMovesOn]

I'm delighted to let you know that we found our family - 9 days after the typhoon, but family from Manila took two days to get to Tanauan (two flights, two ferries and half a day on foot....) but found them in my brother's house. That house in San Roque - thank god for it. He's an architect and when he married my sister-in-law, wanted to provide her with a house for her and the kids should anything happen to him over here in the UK. It was a beautiful house and saved not only my SIL's family, but around 40 villagers too.

How they survived, I don't know. Only half a mile from the beach, the winds had already torn the roof off, but the 5m storm surge was more horrendous and the house is basically now a shell. But at least they have something. More than a lot.

So we, like many others, are frantically fundraising to help those poor people who have lost so much and help rebuild the schools, roads, houses - whatever we can.

Thanks for your good wishes

[MasterOfTheYoniverse]

what are people like?
So donation drive ended with a huge mountain of very useful medical and first aid kits today and an……oil electrical heater!!!
Probably the most useful thing for a hot humid place with no electricity!
We'll dispatch to a home for the aged!

[Sparks1007]

Good post Master. I agree with what you say.

Yes, it may be frustrating to allow agencies to do what they need to do but we have no other option at the moment. The immediate task is too great and too daunting for us to deal with.

[MasterOfTheYoniverse]

If its a smallish amount may I suggest this again and again?
you can have a box sent to a specific destination.

[MasterOfTheYoniverse]

LifeMovesOn, its really sad, its very hard to get through at the moment.
Have you tried the google people finder? The red cross and other grass roots agencies on the ground have done a great job listing survivors
here
Hope your SIL hears good news soon.
Am amazed everyday at how compassionate, hardworking, resilient Filipinos are. I hear so many stories about people saving up to build houses, farms etc only to see them regularly wiped out in these natural catastrophes. And they start all over again, and again, and again, unwavering. Very humbling.

Am in HK. Its very frustrating being so close and still unable to get through right now. A lot of people here are doing a tremendous job fundraising and collecting donations and planning on site visits with nurses, Drs in the next few weeks. I guess what I mean to say is that this is for the long run. These remote communities will need time to heal and rebuild and you can kick in at any time.

At the moment it is really important to trust the Big relief agencies/international aid etc to just clear the bodies, restore power supply, access to clean water, open safe travel pathways to get to remote areas.

We'll all kick in in a smaller scale when that's done in a couple of weeks hopefully.

Rather than trying to set up a charity, why not go yourselves with a plan if that's feasible? Or just get all your friends/network to pitch in if there is enough trust? $3,000-$5,000 USD can really get you a long way.

A dear friend has been going to this little island north Palawan for 20 years and knows the community inside out.
Here is what we have done. We raised about $3,000 USD in cash to go and help rebuild the communal hall/school/Dr station, generators, water purification, cash for a weekly speedboat trip & 3 months rice rations (nearest food supply is 3 hours away) etc…etc….
We have been collecting essential kitchen kits/power lamps/batteries/blankets/small tools/hygiene and first aid kits etc…etc…

And of course water and easy open tins of highly nutritious food such as sardines, peanut butter, condensed milk etc….

I appreciate its not that easy/economical organizing a shipment from a distance but if you have someone on the ground to run those errands for you its really really worth considering. There is a pernicious side to aid. I think its much better to give it a few weeks, go and buy things on the ground to support the local economy and just do one small impactful action on the ground since you do have the chance?

x

[LifeMovesOn]

Thank you Kitten - that's what I've learned.

We're not talking bucket loads of money here, we're looking at small, local cake sales at school, sponsored silence, that sort of thing.

My SILs worry is if we give whatever we can raise to one of the bigger charities, it won't get to the heart of where the problem is - and if it does, it will be months.

She wants to raise money to help the town where she was born and her family (hopefully) still are.

You can say you are a charity - but no registered or charity status.

Arrrgggghhhh, just want to do something!

That's for your thoughts.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Setting up a charity isn't easy at all, I don't know if its still the case that you have to have a certain turnover, you have to have a board of trustees I think? (Not sure been a while since I looked into it). It might be easier to approach existing charities and seeing if you can hook in with them.

I really hope and pray that you receive good news about the rest of your family.

[LifeMovesOn]

I've just come across this discussion. And I'm so pleased I have.

My beautiful sister-in-law is from San Roque, a small parish near Tanauan, on Leyte island. Their's was the first area hit by the typhoon and, a week on, she still doesn't know whether her family there have survived.

It's heartbreaking knowing we can't do anything at the moment other than wait. She has her mother, father and brother in Luzon; knowing they are safe is wonderful.

But if the rest of her family in Tanauan have survived, it's the what happens after that is just as scary.

My brother is an architect and when they were living and working in Hong Kong he built a house in San Roque for my SIL and the kids to have if anything ever happened to him. He built that house to withstand pretty strong storms and up to now it has. We don't know if it did this time since no pictures and no news. Only half a mile from the beach, the 5m storm surge may have taken everything.

It's the not knowing.

However, we are being optimistic and trying to plan for the afterwards. They will have nothing. We are sitting down thinking of ideas for fundraising. People have mentioned Just Giving, but you have to be a registered charity for this and of course we're a two man band. We are just so tired the brain power isn't working. I've trawled the internet learning how to set up a charity but it's all so complicated.

If there's anyone that knows a simple answer, please holler.

Otherwise, please pray for these people. The Filipinos made me feel incredibly welcome when we visited, they don't have a lot but what they do they are happy to share.

Let's try and give them something back.

[GoldieMumbles]

DH used to work a lot in the Philippines and feels a great affinity with the people there - he's really upset by it and has made a donation through work. The company opened a specific appeal - 90 minutes after opening it had already received 25,000 Euros, which I think is fantastic, and is contributing to the airlift effort by providing aircraft and crew. DH also asked his parents donate to DEC as his Christmas present. I've never seen him well up at an appeal before but this has really got to him. He loved his visits there and thinks the world of the people. We're one family thinking of you all Sparks.

[Sparks1007]

ElenorRigby - Yes. It is interesting being in the Region itself, the opinions we have of China are very different to those in the West. China is a big problem for us - in many ways. We would be grateful for their help but The Philippines will not be asking them for it.

Thank-you so much everyone for thinking of ways to help. The response to the DEC was amazing! As for long term and numbers of dead, we hope that President Noynoy's revised estimates are more accurate (although I suspect they are a little underestimated). The reconstruction and getting people's livelihoods back though will be the work of years. Japan, with all its infrastructure and ease of access to the affected area is only just getting back to "normality" after the 2011 quake and subsequent Tsunami. Please keep your fingers crossed for us and keep us in your thoughts.

Thank-you all so much.

[AuntieStella]

Here's this mirning's story from the BBC.

The death toll might not be as high as initially feared, though there re still many places which have not been reached.

The response in the first few hours of the DEC appeal was heartening.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

A disaster lunch is a really good idea. That would get them thinking for sure.

Interesting read ElenorRigby.

[ElenorRigby]

Why is China doing so little to help the Philippines?

This is very disappointing. China would the logical choice to help those poor people.

[scaevola]

Does the school have a high uptake of schools dinners, and who provides them? Because, thinking of the "Big Curry Lunch" fundraiser, and thinking of emergency ration packs for the Philippines, things the basis that one scanty lunch won't hurt anyone; how about having a "disaster lunch" where all they get is plain water and plain rice, and the difference in cost is donated?

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

dds school is also doing a non uniform day for CIN. I havent heard of any plans to change.

Another mner has shared this handy link for ideas for fund raising :)

[scaevola]

Our school already has a non-uniform day this Friday, with a donation of £1 per pupil to Children in Need (voluntary collection in playground at drop off, with no-one actually checking if everyone pays). That's going ahead and for the original planned charity. But they are going to add further collecting tins for the Philippines if anyone - again totally voluntarily - will add another £1.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

That's an idea. Probably bigger than the event she is thinking of, but I will suggest it.
Hopefully others are getting ideas too for their kids if they want to fundraise :)

[SilverApples]

We've had skills auctions in the past at school,parents and children.
That worked well, everything from cake making to gardening to sewing and mending to music lesson taster sessions.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

trucks - what a brilliant idea! She has gone off to suggestion an auction (!) but if that gets vetoed then I will suggest your idea.

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

Badkitten
How about sponsored drink only fresh water (no sodas or juice etc)? Would highlight the terrible difficulties people face in accessing clean safe water after a storm?

[scaevola]

You can also give to DEC by phone on 0370 60 60 900

[MasterOfTheYoniverse]

thanks timtam, great link. Nice and clear.

[ElenorRigby]

Thanks timtam, sending a donation via Disasters Emergency Committee Philippines Typhoon Appeal PAYPAL is really quick and easy.