Blessed Be

After 2 nights in Iloilo I'm back home. I dreaded seeing my room since I didn't know what to expect. I delayed going down to the basement since I didn't know how I would react. Finally after two hours I went downstairs. Greeted by knick-knacks as I was descending the stairs. The light in my room was on.

I walked in my now-empty room. Save for the bed frame and dresser, all the other shelves and things have been removed. The floors scrubbed clean, gleaming under the florescent light. I sought out my TV, but the space where it used to be was empty. My footsteps echoed as I walked across the room to inspect my closet. It was still bright red, whore red against the white walls my friends termed it. I peeked inside my closet and saw that my very wet clothes were still inside. I immediately closed the closet door since the stench was so bad.

I just felt relief that I am safe. That my family is safe. I thought that I was in the worst situation in the world when I was in chest-deep water holding on to my floating bed, but after seeing the devastation in the eastern side of Metro Manila I could only say that I am still very lucky.

My parents finally found my Tito. He is in his mid-80s. He lost his house in Provident Village, the worst hit place with over 100 dead. My Dad told me earlier that my Tito was eating with his family when the flood just suddenly came in their house. They immediately scrambled to the roof since their house was a bungalow at around 1 in the afternoon last Saturday. He was only rescued on Sunday and was brought by a truck to Caloocan. My parents finally located him through the help of cousins only yesterday.

I have been holding back tears because my Dad told me not to cry about what happened. It's really hard and I am trying my best to be strong and to use my strength to reach out to my friends in other countries to help my country. It will take some time to get over the trauma and the shock of losing everything I've worked hard for. I just have to keep reminding myself that I am still blessed and that I should help in whatever way I can.

If by any chance you are from another country or in another city in the Philippines and get to read this post. I hope you can help the people in Luzon by sending any help you can. You can refer to this page for ways on how to send relief.

God bless everyone.

How to Send Donations for Typhoon Ondoy from the US

For those in the United States you may send your donations through Ayala Foundation US. Here's how:

AF-USA accepts cash donations (as this is most urgently needed) for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy thru the following means:

1. Check:

Make check payable to Ayala Foundation USA, indicate in the note part that the donation is for the Victims of Typhoon Ondoy and mail it to AF-USA office at 255 Shoreline Drive, Suite 428, Redwood City, CA 94065.

2. Online Donations via credit card:

Please click on this link (http://www.af-usa.org/donate_now_form.asp) and choose AF-USA Typhoon Relief fund in the drop down menu.

3. For wire transfer, below is the account details:

Account Name: Ayala Foundation USA
Account Number: 203179049
Account Type: CA
Routing Number: 321171184
Citibank, N.A.

Thank you so much.

For updates on Ondoy and other AF-USA related matters, we encourage you to please view our Facebook page. Click on this link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ayala-Foundation-USA/136319814988?ref=nf . If you have a Facebook account, please log in and sign up to be our fan so you may share our updates to your own friends.

Help for Typhoon Ondoy

A group of tireless volunteers and Google have put together a page where you can easily find and report information about Typhoon Ondoy. You may visit the page at -

http://www.google.com.ph/landing/typhoon-ondoy.html

Some photos from my basement.

There are countless other people who need help badly. Donation centers are asking for bottled water, canned goods, blankets, clothing, medicines, sacks of rice etc. Please check the link above how you can send donations.