Yesterday, Markie and I sent a balikbayan box full of relief goods for the victims of the landslide in Southern Leyte. In just one week, we received seventy-eight pieces of donated clothing (all in good condition) for men, women, and kids. There have been more pledges of donations and we will hopefully be sending more boxes as soon as we fill them up. My brother Amiel will be receiving these in Cebu in about a month, and he will mostly be responsible for making sure these will get to the people who need it the most (he has already brought 2 boxes of relief goods and a dozen banigs (woven mats used for sleeping) from Cebu to the affected area last Friday).

As the Philippine government turns its attention to the current political crisis, and as the rescue and relief workers go back to their own homes for well-deserved rest from their tireless and selfless efforts, the evacuees and the disaster victims will have to face the bleak reality of their situation on their own, this time without the shock-absorbing safety net that the immediate relief effort provided.

These men, women and children, many of whom escaped the disaster with literally just the clothes on their backs, will have to pick up the pieces of their lives and start again from scratch. And by scratch I mean one change of clothes every few days or even just once a week, and one meal at a time.

I am very grateful for the outpouring of aid from all over the world right after the disaster struck, and which is going on ’till now. But as Markie and Amiel keep pointing out to me, the reality is that help is needed even more in the coming months. That is why over the coming months I will be dedicating this site mostly to updates on the ongoing relief effort and, hopefully, to news of how the landslide victims are getting back on their feet.

To those who have given so generously of themselves - whether in donations of clothes, food, medicine, sleeping mats, cash and the like, or in your time and effort as rescue and relief volunteers, or in praying for the victims or spreading information about their plight and/or encouraging others to take part in the relief effort - I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m sure that if the disaster victims could get their voices out in the Internet as well, they would be filled with even more gratitude than I can express.

Thank you all so very much.

Posted under Helping

please help victims of the mudslide that wiped out an entire
village of more than 2,000 people in southern leyte, philippines
(photo via cnn)

The village of Guinsaugon is only about 2 kilometers away from the mountain village where I used to spend vacations as a child. Many of Guinsaugon’s villagers work in the surrounding ricefields, or in the local industries in nearby villages. Most of them are simple folk, without personal external resources to help them through this disaster.

Any and all help and assistance such as donations of food, medical supplies and medicine, blankets, and clothes, or any other kind of support in cash or kind, will be greatly appreciated. You may call the Governor’s Office at +6353 570 8625 to inquire about how you can help. Or email me at petite.gatela[at]gmail[dot]com if you have any suggestions or questions about giving assistance.

Thank you!

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Posted under Helping