ONDOY: An Unforgettable Experience for Every Filipino.

09-26-09.

Saturday.

4 days ago.

I haven't been really updating my blog for quite awhile with my latest outfits / latest happenings. I was planning on doing so last Saturday because a whole day of activities was planned for that day. Little did I know that none of these plans would actually happen and that tragedy would strike hard here in the city I live in.

It had been raining all night but by morning, I had thought it would just be your 'typical rainy day'. The rain poured non-stop by that wasn't anything I hadn't seen before. I was a little miffed because rains always kill the outfits you had already had in mind the night before nor does it give you the condition wear heels at all.

11 AM: From my window situated at the 21st floor, I could not see any trace of the city anymore. It was completely covered with fog, clouds, rain and just everything grey. The alarm bells started ringing in my head.

1130 AM: My roommate's boyfriend called and we did open the windows and, lo and behold, TAFT AVENUE turning into a RIVER. It was still only above-the-ankle deep but the rain wasn't ceasing and that only got worse. School was just right across my condominium. Green Giant was ON AIR. Students were going about their lives within. Still, I had thought the rain would stop and that the alarm bells ringing in my head were nothing.

from 11 AM - 1 PM: No delivery services would take us in. The Internet was not helping either. The restuas around the vicinity had all shut down. We had no food in here. Now my roommate and I were starting to panic. We were getting really hungry.

So we decided to venture out, withdraw money, because the weather wasnt getting any better and Yellow Cab was the way to go. By now, the flood was knee deep and the rain just got a tad bit harder.

But we ventured in that disgusting dark flood water because we needed money and we needed to figure out some way to get it. My umbrella completely failed me and I was practically shivering. It was a success one way or another despite the minor setbacks. Yellow Cab refused us as well though. But we had already bought food from the convenience store at the lobby and that would suffice for the time being.

3 hours later, I realized how lucky me and my roommate were.

Our FB's were bombarded by stats of friends who were experiencing the worst of things. Frightening pictures and videos started propping up here and there, and announcements were being broadcasted there. The rain still wasn't letting up. In fact it just got all the more worse.

By nightfall, Manila was practically drowning in rainwater and no exaggeration is inputted here.

The hardest cities hit were Quezon City, Pasig, Cainta and Marikina. In Marikina lies a bridge 30 feet above the Marikina River, or so they say. Ondoy Typhoon caused floods that went over that bridge. Just imagine that. The thought makes me sick.

By morning, Manila is like a scene from the 'Day After Tomorrow'.

It didn't matter whether you were rich or poor, if you lived in the village or in the squatters area, every place had dangerous level floods, thousands of lives were suffering and in despair and in complete loss, thinking "So what now? My house is gone, everything is gone...."

One of my friends lost everything. One of the people who didn't really get along with me lost everything also. Most of the people whom I've had terrible fights and misunderstandings with were all in the area of Quezon City, one of the hardest hit cities and I had to text them if they were alright, out of extreme concern and worry. Friends began to flock my unit because they had no electricity and water and they needed a safe place to stay; of course we let them.

Jay recounts the tale of how he had witnessed first hand from start to finish how his neighbors drowned their pet ChowChow in the flood water, butchered it and ate it.

I didn't really want to believe his story but he described it so well and he couldnt seem to get it out of his mind. I felt sick. The things people do to survive.

My roommate's friend had to travel from Katipunan all the way to the airport, an 8 hour or so trip on foot due to the circumstances (normally it would take about 1 hour or 2 to get there). She had to swim in the floodwater carrying her luggage above her head to Tiendesitas, experience absolute rejection from cab drivers and guards and with the unexpected help of miracles.

I'd like to tune myself out of from the terrible news sprouting everywhere I turn. It's reality. It's happening just beyond me and I can't bear the thought. It's no joke. It happened and now Manila is trying to cope. We've never been hit so badly by a storm. It was always the other provinces around the country, far far away from this city. We've had Milenyo, we've had Frank but nothing... nothing like this. We weren't prepared. It doesn't fucking help when you see in the news how the goddamn President spent 800 MILLION of contingency funds on FOREIGN TRIPS (AND NO, THEY WEREN'T DIPLOMATIC AT ALL). Amidst all this, I saw no trace of her extending any kind of help to her own countrymen, the absolute fucktard! It's terrible that amidst all this tragedy, our "leader" has gone completely MIA.

Help comes from the people themselves, everyone who were lucky enough not to be harmed by this storm, anyone who thinks they have too much and that they could extend a hand.

already I've donated so much and I feel it's still not enough. I feel so lucky and so guilty.

What else can I do to help?

I don't believe in prayer. But that particular day, as I watched my FB continue being bombarded by frightening images and news from my own friends, I silently kept praying inside my head, hoping everything and everyone, friend or enemy, were all doing okay.

I know there are several people who follow this blog and who actually take the time to read it. I implore to all of you to also extend a hand to the Philippines as it tries to cope once again in a tremendous endeavor we didn't expect nor want.
Every little action matters. If we all move as one to help, we can all make a difference.

DISCLAIMER: None of these pictures belong to me.

Taft Avenue / De LaSalle University - Manila.
- the main street that I live in and the university I go to.

Alot of students were stranded and couldn't go home, so they took refuge in the school and spent the night there.

Inside campus.
SJ WALK.

The Marian Quadrangle.
That was a mini field.
Now it's a lake.

The Conserve Walk.

Source: Ondoy Meets DLSU.

Estrada St.

the street I used to live in.

source: Decky Decano

Vito Cruz St.
-still in my area, near campus.

My friend from CSB ended up experiencing that.

Source: Andrew Dacay

Devastation from all over Manila.
And that's not even HALF of it.

Makati Underpass.
-it would be extremely beyond sick if someone had been there.

The area where my ex-boyfriend lives.
God. I used to go here alot.

Eastwood.
-the malls are gone.

Source: Ondoy, You Fucking Asshole

Famous stars Jericho Rosales in Rizal, trying to help rescue people on a surfboard (T) and Gerald Anderson and his brother in dangerous waters, trying to rescue people as well (B).

Source: Chuvaness

The morning after brings more tragedy.

And while many people are suffering, the stray animals aren't doing so well either.
My heart was breaking as I saw enough pictures and heard enough stories to get me sick to the stomach.

Tomorrow I intend to do volunteer work at PAWS.

You can also help by donating dog/cat food and cages and shelters with roofs.
The shelter, PARCS is located in Katipunan. Call 475-1688.

Please do extend a helping hand. Spread the word, donate everything you can, volunteer at your campuses, PAWS, Red Cross, etc.

Thousands of lives are suffering. Every little thing matters - we need all the help we can get!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!

DETAILS REGARDING HOW YOU CAN HELP:

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.

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.

For online donations you may also visit our website at www.redcross.org.ph .

In-Kind Donations

LOCAL
Please send in-kind local donations to The Philippine National Red Cross – National Headquarters in Manila. We could also arrange for donation pick-up.

INTERNATIONAL

1. Send a letter of intent to donate to the PNRC
2. A letter of acceptance from PNRC shall be sent back to the donor
3. 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 Corazon Alma de Leon, 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.

SMS and G-CASH (Globe)

SMS
text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart)

G-CASH
text DONATEAMOUNT4-digit M-PINREDCROSS to 2882

Most urgent needs

Food items: Rice, noodles, canned goods, sugar, iodized salt, cooking oil, monggo beans and potable water

Medicines: Paracetamol, antibiotics, analgesic, oral rehydration salts, multivitamins and medications to treat diarrheal diseases

Non-food items: Bath soaps, face towels, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, plastic mats, blankets, mosquito nets, jerry cans, water containers, water purification tablets, plastic sheetings, and Laundry soap

Rehabilitation Programs: Shelter materials for house repair

Call Hotline 143 or 527.0000

THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RED CROSS
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
Bonifacio Drive, Port Area,
Manila 2803, Philippines

Also for INTERNATIONAL DONATIONS can now be accepted thru TXTPower:

TXTPower is accepting international donations via Paypal.

You may also donate via SmartMoney (5577-5144-1866-7103) or GCash 0917-9751092. All donations coursed through TXTPower will be sent to the Philippine National Red Cross.

and:

the World Food Programme.