In The Wake Of Typhoon Ketsana: Help, help and help some more!

“Typhoon victims in the Philippines in dire need of food/clothing. Call the American Red Cross to help. 1.800.435.7669″

That’s Demi Moore’s post on Twitter yesterday. It’s heartwarming to know in the midst of a tragedy that people are innately good and not at all apathetic. And what a tragedy Typhoon Ketsana (otherwise known as Typhoon Ondoy here in the Philippines) is turning out to be. Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces have been declared in a state of calamity by the President, and while the wind and rain lashed out strongest last Saturday, the number of people declared dead or missing continues to grow as of today, Monday. The worst flooding in the country in 20 years, it’s now called “the Katrina of the Philippines.” It’s very hard to put into words right now what we feel over here hearing about displaced families, about missing friends or seeing a photo of a child waist-deep in water even as she’s cradled in her father’s arms. Photos are indeed worth a thousand words so do look for them to understand what I can’t convey here. Footage of cities submerged in floodwater abound on Youtube, as well as of rushing waters invading houses, overturning cars and just simply wreaking havoc on whatever was unfortunate enough to be in Ketsana’s way. People stranded in their houses saw water go from knee-high to chest-deep to well over six feet. Left with no other recourse but to climb rooftops to escape drowning or being electrocuted, the rooftops actually proved the safest place to be.

It’s still overcast today. Classes are suspended but it’s back to work for most. It has stopped raining but rescue operations are still ongoing in other parts of Metro Manila and Luzon. People whose houses have been wiped out are being relocated to evacuation centers. The lucky ones among us are busy organizing fund raisers, looking for ways to help and checking out relief centers online, by phone, Twitter, Facebook and what have you. The outpouring of help is tremendous, from fellow Filipinos here and abroad, and from the international community. In the Central Business District of Makati where our office is, it’s almost business as usual which means the internet is working, and thank God for that: the net is now proving to be such a driver in getting people to act, and be men and women for others. Yes, just as the Jesuits want us us to be.

On that note, do you want to be of help but don’t know where to go or what to do? Please check out the list below for information about donations in cash and in kind, or ANY KIND OF HELP YOU CAN EXTEND.

CASH DONATIONS:
Donate online!
Philippine National Red Cross – they accept cash and check donations too
World Food Programme
Ayala Foundation
TXTPower (Paypal)
PhilippineAid.com
Ateneo Alumni Northeast, Inc.

or

Mobile donations for the flood victims through Red Cross: Send your donations to raise funds for the flood victims by texting RED(space)AMOUNT to 2899 for Globe (amount can be 100 or 300) or 4483 for Smart (amount can be 50 or 100).

or

Donate by phone.
In the US, please call the American Red Cross at 1-800-435-7669 –this is what Demi’s talking about. Choose the third option which is “International Donation.” Then please tell the operator that your donation is for the Ondoy (Ketsana) typhoon victims in the Philippines.

RELIEF GOODS:
Suggested relief goods:
blankets and towels
distilled water
milk (powdered and ready-to-drink)
diapers
clothes and clean underwear
dry goods – biscuits, canned food, ready-to-eat food
large cooking pots and gas – needed for cooking at evacuation centers

DROP-OFF CENTERS/ RELIEF CENTERS:
Check out TeamManila’s “Project Ondoy: Downpour of Support”
TeamManila stores in Trinoma, Mall of Asia, Jupiter Bel-Air and Rockwell are accepting relief goods (canned goods, ready-to-drink milk, bottled water and clothes) for distribution by Caritas.

Ateneo de Manila, at the Cervini Hall

La Salle Greenhills Relief Operations Drop-Off Center, Ortigas Ave., Mandaluyong

De La Salle University, Taft Avenue

Xavier School

De La Salle Zobel

Assumption College, San Lorenzo Village, Makati

The alumni of the College of St. Benilde are accepting donations at 9F De La Salle- College of St. Benilde School of Design and Arts Bldg., Pablo Ocampo St., Vito Cruz.

University of Sto. Tomas, Tan Yan Kee Student Center.

Enderun Colleges, the culinary school, needs help chopping, cooking and packing food. They’re doing this round the clock and they’re running out of food to cook! So, yes, do ransack your pantries and bring uncooked food over. Their address is 1100 Campus Ave., McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Miriam College, INSA office

University of the Philippines, Diliman, Student Council Office at Vinzon’s Hall

San Beda Alabang, Alabang Hills Village

Marikina Relief - Under the flyover of C5 which connects to Katipunan, there is a group of volunteers on hand to receive relief goods.

Manila Doctors College, Speech Lab, Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City

GMA Kapuso Foundation, Samar St. cor GMA Network Drive, Quezon City. This is behind GMA complex and right beside Malayan Bank.

San Antonio Parish Center, Makati City

Victory Church, Malate

Victory Church, Ortigas

Victory Church, The Fort

Divine Savior Parish, North Fairview, Quezon City

TULONG BAYAN, Balay Expo Center, EDSA cor Gen. MacArthur Hwy., Cubao, Quezon City (near Farmer’s Market). From 8am onwards.

SEAOIL Metro Manila stations are accepting donations (food, clothes, blankets,towels, etc.). Please visit seaoil.com.ph for the complete list of SEAOIL Metro Manila stations.

All Petron stations

Mega Tent, Meralco Ave., Ortigas. They need more volunteers, too, because they’re on 24-hour duty til Friday.

Dasmarinas Village Park Pavillion – They have volunteers there accepting donations on behalf of the Philippine National Red Cross.

White Space, 2314 Pasong Tamo Ext., Makati City. It’s right beside Makati Faith Christian School.

Myron’s at Rockwell or Myron’s at Greenbelt 5. The relief goods collected will be divided between the Relief Operations at La Salle Green Hills, and the affected residents of Marikina City.

Aranaz, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City

Luca, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City

Greyone Social, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City

Alabang Town Center concierge. You may call 8422782 or 7721860.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS/ DOCTORS, NURSES and ALLIED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS:
The Philippine National Red Cross needs volunteers to sort and repackage relief goods. Here are the numbers to call:
Pasay Chapter – 8542748 and 4343751
Las Pinas Chapter – 8734873 and 4689688;
Pasig Chapter – 6350922
Alabang Chapter – 8093132
Those who have jetskis and/or motorized boats, Red Cross Rizal Chapter needs them for ONGOING rescue operations. The group needs to go to Cainta and Manggahan, Pasig ASAP! The water has not gone down at all and people are dying over there. Please contact them at the above numbers.

Sagip Kapamilya also needs volunteers. Please call 4132667 or 4160387. They are at two sites: 1) 13 Examiner St., West Triangle, Quezon City, and 2) Sct. Bayoran corner Tomas Morato.

Gawad Kalinga. They’re based at the RFM Gym in Pioneer.

St. James Church in Ayala Alabang Village needs help packing food.

Operation Tulong Bayan needs volunteer doctors, nurses and other medical practitioners for their medical missions. The group needs medicines as well. The  person to contact is Jig Abella at 09202030170, Expo Centro, besides Farmer’s Market, Araneta Center, Cubao, QC.

RESCUE:
If you have friends and family who are stranded and needing assistance, the numbers to call are:
Philippine National Red Cross – 143
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) – 136
National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) – 9115061
Philippine Coast Guard – 5276136
DSWD DISASTER – 9517119
Sagip Kapamilya – 4110011, 4110012, 4110013
Marikina – 09209389914
Quezon City – 09216555262
Pasig – 09189356318
Cainta – 09175606241
*Make sure to give them street names, landmarks, and even the roof color to make their search easier and more efficient.

Database of Ketsana/Ondoy victims and evacuation centers, please go to the Ateneo Task Force Ondoy website.

For Open Access Marketing employees, the donation box at the front desk is calling out to you!

Let’s all help, yes?