After that fateful Saturday, typhoon Ondoy (international name “Ketsana”) left
Over 100 killed and 448,454 affected (according to this GMA News report)
Typhoon Ondoy will surely not be missed but will never be forgotten.
As we busy ourselves in relief operations ( see how how and where to donate here: verified list of relief/drop off centers/volunteers needed) packing goods, blogging and exchanging mission-critical information on Twitter, Facebook, and even Tumblr, let us be wary and ready for what may come next.
Rains have stopped here in Calamba, and I’ve heard and read in reports that some areas have already seen the sun shine this morning. But could this merely be the so-called “calm before the bigger storm”? Let us hope not. But let us not let our guard down just yet.
New storms (one of them “Pepeng”), based on reports may hit us, it might hamper whatever efficiency there is in the sourcing, transport and distribution of food, clothing, toiletries and survival kits we have now. Be on guard everyone.
This message from Facebook shared by Ms. Julie Javellana-Santos , originally written by Ms. Inday Espina-Varona may be alarming indeed and yet it is very important and not to be ignored.
After "Ondoy", seems like new storms are brewing
See direct link to storm satellite photo here shared on Facebook by Binky P. Siddayao.
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A SERIOUS WARNING FROM ONE WHO KNOWS: ATTENTION GIBO ET AL!!!Yvette Lee, a veteran diver, and the friend I rely on for weather forecasts, has never been wrong yet about which way the wind blows (or how much rain will fall). Many times, she has told me to disregard Pag-asa because various other satellites, including those used by the US military, are showing different storm tracks. On Friday, she said winds would be light but waters very heavy and to prepare for serious floods.Tonight, with some urgency, she asked me to contact Gibo, if I could. I’ve texted her message en toto to a defense reporter, but am posting it here anyway in the hope someone who does know Gibo or the AFP Chief or some such top gun can relay it. They may know what Yvette knows already but she is worried due to the absence of clear-cut warnings on TV and radio news. She would post here but has no Internet access at the moment. I’m tagging as many people I know that cover Crame and Aguinaldo (or who are there, thus the soldiers). Perhaps, other media people can check with their own sources and issue warnings that people can heed.
Here’s her message:
IF YOU HAVE CONTACT NUMBER OF GIBO YOU BETTER LET HIM KNOW TO EXPECT RAINS AGAIN BEGINNING TOMORROW. BAKA KALA NILA WALA NA TYPHOON WALA NANG RAIN. THE WEATHER SATELLITES SHOW RAIN COMING IN FROM THE EAST FOR 2 DAYS AT LEAST.
THEY SHOULD ASK THE PEOPLE WHO WERE STANDING ON ROOFS AND WHO WENT BACK INSIDE, TO LEAVE TILL WATER GOES DOWN TO NORMAL BECAUSE THE WATER WILL RISE VERY FAST AGAIN WHEN IT STARTS RAINING. YOU WATCH.
No let up, please. Let us make full use of the good weather we are having right now to hasten rescue operations in Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City and Caint, Rizal and the rest of the Metro hardest hit by the typhoon Ondoy. As I write this, dark clouds are forming where I am. I pray the same is not happening in Metro Manila.
Mayor Strike Revilla of Bacoor, Cavite has also been appealing for help from NDCC (National Disaster Coordinating Council). Apparently, the town where I lived for 15 years, never before devastated by floods of this magnitude was not spared from this disaster.
Volunteers, dear heroes we owe so much gratitude to, please take care of yourselves. So many people depend on your own strength, optimism, kindheartedness and enthusiasm. We have heard of people who have sacrificed their own lives already just to save our kababayans. May God bless you all and give you strength.
I can only cry in deep gratitude for all of you guys going out of your comfort zones to help out. As much as I’d like to help, I cannot leave my little boy in this flood-prone area of Looc, Calamba. I can only help the best I can by donating online to Red Cross using credit card , through SMS and other means and by being an information link, propagating information online for people searching for answers and calling for help.
People are getting to my blog by Googling “where can i go to volunteer for the victims of typhoon ondoy? , we live in makati, we want to donate clothes n food to ondoy victims. how can we? , ondoy volunteer centers “… and more. The outpouring of love and support is simply amazing and moving.The Filipino spirit of bayanihan is indeed alive and powerful!
Although we do not ask for it, should there be another storm, I know we can get through it. We are Filipinos. We are strong!
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