The Onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda III

My two previous blog posts were about Typhoon Yolanda (international code Haiyan) and the destruction it left behind in the Visayas and Mindanao regions here in the Philippines. More importantly they were also a collation of ways to help victims in need of donations. (Part I may be accessed here; part II may be accessed here)

Today's post is no different. Below are some helpful links and announcements for those who wish to donate and volunteer for relief and repacking operations.

List of Survivors

First and foremost though, I's like to share this list from sunstar.com.ph ; it's a database of the names of Typhoon Yolanda survivors in Tacloban City, Leyte, one of the most affected areas. The list was posted yesterday, but is still being updated whenever they get new names of survivors in their database. For those with family or friends in Tacloban, this is a very helpful list.

How to Help

This comprehensive list compiled by CNN is very informative. It's neatly divided into emergency support, food and water, shelter, medical assistance and helping children.

Another announcement from the University of the Philippines Office of the Student Regent, from the UP System Twitter page details what donations are most in need in their repacking endeavors. The Family Pack contains:

• 3 kilograms of rice
• 6 canned goods
• 5 liters of water
• 6 sachets of powdered beverage
• 6 packs of instant noodles
• 6 pieces of merienda (biscuits, crackers, wafers, etc.)
• 2 of each of the following toiletries: soap, toothpaste, shampoo, napkin, etc.
• A first aid kit or other medical supplies available
• Garments for 5 people
• And an optional inclusion of the following: tarpaulin, blankets, oral care and foot wear.

Please click the image to enlarge.

A poster detailing the Family pack as well as designated drop-off points in the UP System in the Diliman, Manila, Los Baños, Baguio, Visayas-Miag-ao and Visayas-Iloilo campuses.

From: the UP system Twitter page

The Ateneo de Manila University's Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (a non-partisan, church-based organization) just recently announced its launching of Task Force Bangon Pilipinas (TF). They are looking for monetary donations and human assistance. Donors may deposit in cash or in cheque at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Loyola-Katipunan Branch. Interested volunteers may contact Ms. Bernie V. Aton through her cellphone number 0932-8798-752 or through her email address bernieaton@gmail.com

Additional information may be seen in the original Facebook post here.

Postscript

Today, I not only came about these posts and announcements, but I also read through a lot of accounts of the situation in Tacloban. A mother lost her daughter. A father carried his child to the morgue. Two brothers were orphaned. The list just goes on. They are living through a very challenging point in their life.

The storm surges caused by Yolanda swept through many coastal areas, leaving death in their wake. But as relentless as the waves were, so too are donations and relief operations being carried out. The disaster has left behind tragedy and destruction, but it only serves to unite our country in the efforts to aid our brothers and sisters in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

When they first estimated the death toll, it was a few hundreds. But as the storm cleared that number shot up to over ten thousand dead or missing. It is a tragic tale of loss. But at the end of the day, we have to come to terms with the fact that it's already happened. What's gone is gone. We can't just stop living and grieve for those who didn't make it. The only option is to get back up on our feet and help in whatever capacity we can, and hope for a better future. With our donations, we can help rebuild not just Tacloban, but the rest of the typhoon-ravaged regions.

Together we can make this tragic tale of loss into a tale of loss and survival.

Together, we will rise again. Bangon Pilipinas.