After the Storm

It was Christine Reyes who saved me.

As Typhoon Ondoy’s wrath hit my poor country I was actually nice and warm on my bed, reading a book I claim to hate, wallowing in my despair, oblivious of what was going on around me. All I thought about was me and my personal storm, while hundreds if not thousands were waddling through the floodwaters of the Philippines’ most devastating tropical depression since 1967. While houses and cars were being washed away and people were disappearing, I was too selfish to even reply to the messages of those people who cared enough to wonder if I was still alive. I already felt dead.

I had to get back to work the Monday after the storm and looking through the online news I saw that picture of Christine Reyes, the actress, on the roof of her house, all wet and cold. In the background I could see how high the muddy water was. That scene gave me an invisible but painful nudge—who was I to act like all the problems of the world belonged to me? I am no damsel in distress just like poor Ms. Reyes.

Move. That was what I had to do. Get off my over-reacting butt and move. So maybe one person doesn’t need me anymore, but boy, many others do.

The Tulong Bayan Relief Operations is spearheaded by Senators Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas

Tulong Kabataan is organized by seven national youth groups including one I used to belong to, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines

Forty percent of the relief goods gathered by Tulong Kabataan was obtained by going house-to-house and asking for people's help.

Donations collected from my kind-hearted officemates, endorsed to Lifeline Foundation.

Back to School

When Tulong Kabataan had a relief mission in Damka, Sta. Mesa (where the flood was 12 feet at its highest) this was the most heartbreaking sight for me:

School books left to dry on a clothesline

Today many students returned to school after the Ondoy tragedy but many of them were not able to salvage their school things with the incredible speed the water level rose. Many more will go back to studying once their schools-turned-evacuation centers are cleared up. Let’s help these children and support the Tulong Kabataan Balik-Eskwela (Back-to-school) drive:

You can also help by donating money:
Smart Money: 5299670778290
GCash: +639266677163
Bank Deposit
Bank Account: Student Christian Movement of the Philippines
Bank: BPI
Branch: Kamias-Anonas, Quezon City Philippines
US Dollar Account No: 3324-0048-06
Peso Checking Account No: 3321-0176-64
Paypal: donate or http://3.ly/tulong
For Western Union: Carl Marc L. Ramota, B12 L27 San Pedro Subd Vill Nova QC