Pandoraspace

It was only Strom Signal No. 1 in Metro Manila yesterday but heavy rains poured non-stop from early morning until nighttime.  Our street was flooded and I could see that the water level had risen to as high as the wheels of the cars parked on the street.  This was the first time the flood was this high.  It appears that my family and I were the lucky ones.

When I began watching the news, I was horrified to discover that EDSA was flooded, the Marikina River swelled, the underpass of Ayala Avenue was flooded to the street level, people were stuck in Paranaque, NLEX and SLEX for hours.  Metro Manila and more than twenty Provinces were declared in a state of calamity.  Click here, here, here, here and here to see videos from YouTube.

A quick check of family and friends revealed that an aunt had to evacute from her home in Quezon City because the floodwaters reached the second floor of her home, a cousin was stuck in traffic in Paranaque, two people who work for my parents barely survived when Marikina River swelled and swept away their houses and everything they owned, my uncle and his family were stuck in the second floor of their home as floodwaters were slowly rising and my sister’s friend has been stuck in a bus in NLEX for more that twelve hours.  Despite this, they are alive and so is everyone else in my family.

There are, however, many who are still waiting for help to come.  Please help me pray for those who need help.

I am posting the numbers you may call if you or any of the members of your family need help during these time and the persons you could contact or places you could go to if you want to extend any assistance.

HELPLINES:

Sen. Dick Gordon (text FULL ADDRESS for rescue): 09178997898 or 0938444BOYS

Sen. Manny Vilar rescue text hotline: 09174226800, 09276751981

Rubber Boat Request: 838-3203, 838-3354

Rescue dumptrucks: 0917-4226800, 0927-6551981

Bagyong Ondoy: 734-2118, 734-2120

PAGASA: 433-8526

NDCC: 912-5668, 911-1406, 912-2665, 911-5061

Red Cross: 0938-444-2697, 0938-444-2697 and 0917-899-7898

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

From Louie Aguinaldo: “We are starting a Relief Operations Center at La Salle Green Hills beginning 9am tomorrow, Sunday, September 27. Basically, we are turning LSGH into a drop-off point for donations and from there we intend to pack them and coordinate distribution to flood victims…”We would need volunteers for the following: 1. people to help spread the news that donations are accepted at La Salle Green Hills, Gate 2 along Ortigas Avenue.
2. people to help man the Relief Operations Center. This would involve collecting, receiving, sorting, and repacking donations. This would also include helping in coordinating the distribution of goods. So far, the Relief Operations Center will be open throughout the day, it will be decided tomorrow if we will keep it open 24 hours.
3. For those that want to help organize this, we are having a meeting at 9am”

“From Karen C: Ateneo is now accepting DONATIONS for the victims of ONDOY. Donations may be dropped at the MVP LOBBY. For all students who are stranded/ those who need help (as well as those who know of other students who need help), please TEXT your/their name/s, …location and contact number to 0908-8877166. The MVP Building (HQ)is open to all those who have difficulty going home tonight.”

<MANOR TYPHOON RELIEF DRIVE>>. QC/MARIKINA IS ONE OF THE WORST HIT. PLS SEND YOUR DONATIONS FOR CANNED GOODS, CLOTHES, MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND OTHER EMERGENCY SUPPLIES TO MANOR SUPERCLUB, EASTWOOD CITY QC (10AM- 9PM) STARTING TOM SUNDAY AS YOU SOON AS YOU CAN. LETS DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP.