American Living, Filipina Thinking

Most of us are now feeling the financial drain brought by Typhoon Frank.

 

The weird thing is, while we help ourselves and our families, we still try to help and share whatever goodies we have to our less fortunate neighbors. Sometimes we feel guilty that we are not doing enough.

 

But TA-RA! Yes, you can help with little or no money! No Gimmiks!

 

Here are four innovative ways, and feel free to share ideas!

 

1. The GIFT OF LISTENING –

Typhoon Frank destroyed our neighborhood. The entire province. Your best friend across the street is also affected. You walk around town, and as much as you want to get a smiley face to cheer you up, you are greeted by grim faces. So who are you going to talk to?

 

Yes, I am here in California. But it did not take some rocket-science thinking to understand the damage caused by this huge calamity.

 

At the height of the news black-out, Aklanons here in the U.S. call each other, lending a quiet support. We abroad listen to the voices of Aklanons. We read and respond to your emails.

 

If you listen closely, victims don’t need your pity nor judgment. They just want to talk and let those feelings out.

 

Just be there. It doesn’t cost you a single cent.

 

      2.   The GIFT OF SPEAKING UP –

The reason why I became a strong advocate for children is because I felt the kids who are disabled, abused and neglected do not speak up. At work, most if not all of my 100+ cases involved fighting on behelf of children with autism so these children can practice their legal right to go to school.

 

Some people are just way too quiet, trying to forget what happened. We even try to minimize the extent of the damage. Worse, some even deny Frank ever set foot.

 

When asked ‘kamusta kamo?’, you will hear, ‘okay man ah’, when in reality they are hungry, cold, dirty and sick. Paanong okay eh the streets are muddy for two weeks and now the people wearing masks covering the stench lingering all of Kalibo?

 

How are the infants and children coping? The elderly and frail? The poor and the sick? The Aeta’s?

 

I am not telling you to start talking in front of a moving bus and campaign for a love offering.

 

A week ago, a neighbor (who read my blog) asked, how’s Aklan? I just told her while help is on the way, a lot of people lost their belongings, clothing and household items. The next day, my neighbor dropped 3 bags of clothing and shoes in my front door. I got relief goods just by randomly talking.

 

Talk to your family, your neighbors, your co-workers. You will be amazed at how much goodness people have.

 

Speak up! What are you going to loose?

 

        3.  The GIFT OF WRITING –

Ah, the blogs. Popping out on the internet like mushrooms. Google or yahoo it up, blogs grabs No1 spot way ahead of CNN.

 

Typhoon Frank lashed out everyone from Mindanao to Luzon, rich and poor, doctors or politicians. Recent article showed over 50 journalists from Aklan and Iloilo were also victims. In short, we are kinda short-handed with regards to media and exposure.

 

If someone has the gift of writing or publishing … WE NEED YOU! Write, write, write. Go back to typewriter or just plain paper and pencil. Write in English, German, Tagalog, Aklanon or Hiligaynon. We need your voice.

 

            And if you’ve got a blog, link us up.

 

4.   The POWER of POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT  –

 

            The reward system! Let’s not forget that!

 

Give a simple thank you to a doctor from the neighboring province who came on a medical mission. Provide a snack and cold drink to each MMDA personnel for working tirelessly round the clock. Send thank you emails to organizations who’d been there in Aklan during our darkest hours.

 

Take pictures of relief efforts, provide them with copies and post it on your blog, Friendster, Facebook or Flickr along with heart-felt thanks. Call their supervisor and inform them that Engr so-and-so or Doctor so-and-so came to Aklan and performed above and beyond their call of duty.

 

 

     5.   TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

     Eat and sleep well. Try not to get sick. Do not stress out. Hug your family. Continue with work and routine. Declare a day-off not thinking of Frank.

 

Remember, you are of no use to Aklan if you are not emotionally and physically well. We need you, so be well.

 

So, that’s all folks. We can do this Aklan!

 

And on the lighter side of things, thank you to all those who greeted and supported me on my 35^th birthday last Wednesday. Ha Ha Ha!

 

VIDEO #1 = TYPHOON FRANK IN THE EYES OF A CHILD

I came across this you-tube link from Joanne Tupaz’ & Cybelle Fernandez’s website  http://canadahelpaklan.multiply.com .

This video is a well-presented one by World Vision Philippines. It starts with a story of a child from Tangalan, Aklan and ends with the organization’s tireless efforts to help victims of Typhoon Frank. For more information, visit their website at www.worldvision.org.ph

 

 

 

VIDEO #2: FRANK: DESTRUCTION IN KALIBO, AKLAN PHILIPPINES

Pastor Roberto Labor of Glad Tidings Ministry (Kalibo, Aklan) was very charming and inspiring on this video created for New Life Christian Center. I have to google their website, as the video did not write down their contact information… I think it is www.newlife.ph

Let me know if I missed any video productions.

Check the HOME PAGE of my blog to check on the latest news and links.

As always please visit www.akeanonagproud.multiply.org for a list of various organizations, contact information and volunteer opportunities. Rotary Club, GMA Kapuso Foundation, Kidsahoy, Task Force Noah, Diosece of Kalibo, ABWE Philippines, etc — you choose! Contact them directly and decide.

Valpree Magallanes’ blog  also contains lots of pictures and some updates on Kalibo. While news is great, I like blogs because it captures the more personal side of things. So to all bloggers out there, gimme your link!

On behalf of the people of Aklan,  thank you so much for your help. Viva Aklan!

Aklan and Typhoon Frank, Part II

The week after my I posted my blog

 

I underestimated the power of a blog.

 

In less than one week, the blog became

1) a newspaper,

2) a diary of events,

3) a ‘panawagan’ – hakita mo si so-and-so?

4) a target of criticism –  grammar nazi my ass

5) a remittance center – paki-tao nimo kay daya ro raya

6) collector of pictures, videos and links, and

7) pautwasan it maeain it buot

 

It was so weird seeing my blog averages 2000 hits per day. I also received over 100 emails, mostly kind words thanking me for ‘bringing’ the news.  Someone jokingly said I was faster than the ABS-CBN, the Inquirer and GMA-7, my blog reaching London, Dubai, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South America, Canada, Sweden, Germany and Hongkong in record time. As of today, I had over 80 comments. That was the good thing.

 

The bad part was receiving a few emails, before news broke, accusing me of exaggerating and fabricating the events. Further, a large bunch of internet surfers also looked at my other posts, including my ridiculous rants about my hair. It was also scary people start scrutinizing my family, credibility and personal integrity.

 

It was too much for me. Why am I getting all of this, when I am not being paid? And I don’t even have one single relative living in Aklan?

 

I was about to delete this blog. ‘Bahala kayo sa buhay nyo’ I mustered. But as good friend Charlotte Dianco, who had media background said, Che, you are like Spiderman — Great (blog) power comes with great responsibility.

 

Then I was informed that my site became one of the Best of Cyber Pinoy site for the month of June at filipinolinks.com.  My effort, they said, “is one of the first efforts (if not THE effort) that made people aware of what’s going on in Aklan. The blog has been circulated widely and has circumnavigated the world many times over”

 

Awww.

 

I did a lot of thinking lately. Sometimes we do forget simple things in life. I have my husband and my children right here with me. We enjoy our warm beds, hot meals, and clean clothes. I drive my car to work, enjoying the smooth roads of I-5. My refrigerator and pantry are well-stocked. Our emergency kit (flashlight, water, batteries, radio, cash, candles, canned goods, clothing & blankets) is still complete. Kenneth has full supply of milk while Khayla has her extra month’s supply medicine.

 

I also realized what while I have mixed emotions, nothing can compare to what all Aklanons are going thru. We have to always remember the victims who are hungry, cold, shocked, scared and uncertain. I can only imagine overseas-based Akeanons worrying about their parents. Let us not forget the children who are living this tragedy and are silently traumatized. I have to applaud Joanne Tupaz and her group for doing the leg work since Day 1, organizing relief efforts and the C130 flights. 

 

I have no right to complain.

 

And so my blog lives. The Aklanon spirit lives.

 

Viva Aklan!

 

P.S. Please check this blog weekly: I am back blogging.

 

NOTE: This is NOT a news report, so do not quote me . This is only a humble blog trying to convey what I heard, and sharing my thoughts & ideas to help Aklan.

 

———————————

 

The morning of Saturday 230am, my husband received a call. It was from my sister in law informing us that Alta Tierra in Iloilo City experienced the worst flash flooding in the history of Iloilo. Typhoon Frank (international code name Fengshen) hit Western Visayas.

 

I was on an immediate text brigade mode, telling everyone from California to New York (I got unlimited text messaging from AT&T), of what has happened. The news was not on-line yet, but that didn’t stop me: all afternoon, I listened to Bombo Radyo Ilonggo edition.  I kept informing everyone I know of the damage that was causing my in-law’s and my adopted Ilonggo home.

 

True enough, the night of Saturday, Iloilo was on TV Patrol news.

 

But what about Aklan? I wondered and pondered. ‘No news is good news’, as they said. Friends asked me if I heard anything, but I said, oh well we had survived Undang in 1985, so this shouldn’t be bad. Now, I believe “No news is so EXTREMELY BAD news’

 

I almost flipped when I heard bits and pieces of news. Families in Aklan text’ed families in Manila, who sent out emails and phone calls about the worst thing that had happened to my beloved hometown.

 

First email I got was this: ‘10 times worse than bagyo undang. No electricity and water supply since saturday. indi ako kapadaea it kuwarta, no banks. no boats as well. there was a MUD FLOOD in Kalibo and hasta sa may second floor namon! And its now BYOB: Bring Your Own Bangkay (haul your own dead corpse) to the town plaza (unconfirmed)’ 

 

Second email, from a different source: ‘Hanggang tuhod and putik sa buong town ng kalibo, madaming barangays ang nawala na sa mapa ng kalibo, even yung bliss community wala na…bubong na lang ng bhay ang nakikita. Just now, 115 dead bodies (unconfirmed) ang nasa plaza ng Kalibo…they don’t know the number of people died and missing.’ ~ From Roxanne T. Oquendo, forwarded by Anna Liza, New York. Holy cow.

 

Third email, different source: “Umapaw and Aklan river and it got to the point where the water was above the bridge papuntang Numancia. The bridge was damaged although I don’t know if it’s still passable. remember the shopping center? the water reached halos sa bubong eot ana kuno. It is also true that nobody’s selling anything because basically nothing was left. There isn’t any water to be had anywhere.” ~ From Cheryl Sevilla, forwarded by Ruben Mobo, Tennessee.

 

At this point, I started to call. Rommel Constantino, my dear friend and confidante, answered his cell phone. He just charged his cell phone for 50 pesos from a Korean Store that has generator.

 

What freaking happened?

 

I can hear my other friend Michelle rattling on and on I cannot understand what she was saying. My other friend Ariel, a non-stop talker too, cannot speak. I begged Rommel not to loose it and start talking calmly. I reminded him we were on the staff of our ill-fated high school publication, and it is now the time to speak up matter-of-fact.

 

Below is the best account of what had happened. Please remember that I have never done news reporting in my life, and my only source of information is my 3 closest friends who are in a state of disbelief, shock, exhaustion and full of mosquito bites. And this is just what happened in Kalibo, and they admitted they know nothing about the fates of Numancia, Banga, Malinao, Makato, Ibajay and all towns surrounding the Aklan River . I am also typing this as fast as I can, ignoring grammar and sentence structure, so that I may be able to reach Akeanons all over the world thru my emails, blogs, texting and non-stop speaking abilities.

 

So, here goes…

 

Friday, June 21, evening – People are preparing for the food festival in honor of San Juan Bautista. Radio said it was Signal No1. It started to rain hard, so people just went home.

 

            Saturday, June 22

 

2am – Heavy rains. Strong winds. Now it was Signal #3. Picture Undang.

 

                        5am-6am – Ceiling and rooftops blown away. Aklan River was rising.

 

9am-10am – Kalibo proper is starting to be flooded, waist deep. Strong currents and non-stop raining. People hold on to bamboos for floatation. To move from one place to another, people jump from rooftops to rooftops. Houses in lower C Laserna are gone.

 

3pm-4pm – Wind stopped. Water is at 7-8 feet, Kalibo Shopping Center now submerged. The entire Kalibo town was quiet, other than the sound of the falling rain.

 

7pm-8pm – In the dead of the night, with no lights nor electricity, people are screaming ‘tabang’. Children wailing, women crying. Some people, who owned 2-floor houses, refused to accept their neighbors for the fear that the added weight may collapse the house.

 

             Sunday, June 22

 

Sunrise– People got out of their shelters to see water and mud, tricycles upside down, boulders everywhere, dead pigs. It was like a scene from a B-rated zombie movie. First thing people looked for: DRINKING WATER.

 

6am – People start to walk to the market for food. They walked in 2-feet mud. People lined up to buy bread (plastic still covered with mud), canned goods, medicine. Prices skyrocketed: rice that was PhP80 is now PhP150 (good for one day for a family of 6), candles 3 pcs for PhP100, tricycle trip PhP 1000 to-fro Kalibo Airport.

 

Everyone was in quiet shock, saying a low ‘kamusta’, and moved on to go to where their family & shelter was.

 

Everyone salvaged what was left. They tried to dry, using water from the rain, their clothing and beddings. Furnitures (tables, chairs) are damaged but usable. Magsig-magsig anay kuno, ah

 

The Provincial Hospital is damaged too, and the new PhP 45 Million CT Scan equipment is all lost. Where do the sick go? Stay at home and hope infection (feet are scraped and punctured due to walking on mud) doesn’t spread. That is why the corpse are now lying and embalmed at the town plaza, for we don’t have a hospital.

                       

The rest is history. You will hear about it. (Dont blame me for giving the bad news, and I had wished I was just misinformed).

 

Below are some pictures of the aftermath, forwarded by Fritz Angeles. Pictures taken by Aaron Concepcion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hay naku….

 

Okay, I asked, how can we help? Here’s what they said:

 

1. Prayers. Jokingly, they said are too tired, too loss of words to do this.
2. Media coverage.  If you know anyone in ABS-CBN, GMA, Bombo, Bandera, etc please beg them to cover Aklan. Remember, press coverage and pressure to the government will open emergency funds. Further, call all of our local Akeanon associations for help. If you know even a drop of Akeanon blood, inform them of what happened. If you need to forward my article, please do so, until a decent professionally-written write-up happens. Repost, forward, link on your blog, utilize Friendster/Multiply/Facebook. Anything, everything, everyday.
3. Send money. Don’t do by bank (as for my write-up), send via Western Union or money order. Send it to your family or a person you know and trust.
4. Relief goods. Airports are open. Roads to/fro Iloilo are passable. The following are needed:
   1. water
   2. katol or insect repellant
   3. canned goods
   4. rice
   5. lots of blankets
   6. towels
   7. flash light and batteries
   8. shoes
   9. jackets
   10. medicine: anti-diarrhea, vitamins, antibiotic, acetaminophen, cough/cold meds
   11. candles and matches
   12. soap & shampoo, toothpaste & toothbrush
   13. disinfectant
   14. cell phone load
   15. something to pass time: playing cards, books, pen & paper, radio
   16. children stuff (by the way, they are so traumatized)
   17. umbrellas
   18. bible, rosary and religious items
   19. etc
5. Call them and when you get a hold of them, assure that we are doing something. Assure and reassure. Akeanons are quietly tough and I sensed morale is so low. They felt so alone. They cannot even talk to their neighbors: what for, they asked. Daily text will help and just say ‘Im here thinking of you’.

One last note: I have lived thru several hurricanes in North Carolina and Georgia. Hurricane Fran, Category 5 was the worst I experienced, having no electricity amidst freezing temperatures. But the County of Cumberland had this hour-by-hour Weather Channel and evacuation routes. Further, Americans fill their refrigerators and pantry with food, water and supplies. After the devastation, electricity was up the next day. FEMA came within the next few days.

 

It is so sad to even think that we don’t have the Red Cross, coast guard, Salvation Army or anyone who can help our fellow Aklanons. This is their 5^th day of surviving.

 

Please help in any way you can.  All the way.

 

Sincerely,

 

Cheryl Joy Martinez-Avaricio, from Sacramento, California

Kalibo Pilot Elementary School 1980-1985

Aklan College 1985-1989

And a proud Akeanon from Bulwang, Numancia, Aklan

http://kyrienne.wordpress.com/2008

 

 

** Please feel free to share my blog, all I ask you post the link (do NOT copy and paste hehe). Or contact me cherylavaricio@comcast.net  

 

 

********************** UPDATES *********************

 

06/27/2008

The much-awaited, “decent professionally-written write-ups” are starting to emerge. Thank goodness!

 

Unfortunately, these news reports made me more depressed. Kailangan talaga ng tulong! Anyway, below are some newsclips, videos and articles. Thank you all for sharing the link.

 

06/26/08 – http://www.gmanews.tv/video/24843/Aklan-still-reeling-from-effects-of-typhoon-Frank

06/26/08 – http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/typhoonfrank/view.php?db=1&article=20080626-144971

06/26/08 – http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storyPage.aspx?storyId=123143

06/27/08 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Yy_qwnbP4

06/27/08 – http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storyPage.aspx?storyId=123281

06/27/08 – http://www.panaynewsphilippines.com/Aklan.htm

06/27/08 – http://www.aklanforum.blogspot.com/  —> Journalist Boy Ryan Zabal is back writing!

06/28/08 – http://www.gmanews.tv/video/24906/Schools-affected-by-typhoon-can’t-be-used-for-classes

06/28/08 – http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080627-145165/Aklan-public-market-survives-Frank-but-not-fire

 

~~~~~~~

06/27/2008

 

Here’s a link of a website that has a running list various organizations and donation centers, from Manila to California. Their detailed contact information is listed. Feel free to check them out and choose the organization you feel most comfortable sending your donations to.

 

I heard one organization will send your balikbayan box to Aklan for $20, as long as it includes relief items! Who-hoo! So please donate NOW!

 

http://akeanonagproud.multiply.com/journal/item/2/WHATS_NEXT_BULIG_AKLAN_BANGON_AKLAN