Nov. 11, 2013
Mga kasama,
Unang- una maraming salamat s inyong paabot na mga paalala. Marami tayong mga chapters na naginisyatiba nang manawagan sa kanilang members para sa victims ng Super -Typhoon Yolanda.
Mas malamang ay namomonitor na ninyo sa media ang napakalawak at napakatinding epekto ng kalamidad. In fact, nagdeklara na ang Pangulong Noy nasa state of calamity ang buong Pilipinas. But what is reported in the media is actually very partial. Nag-landfall ang Yolanda ng 6 times in 6 different provinces, without weakening in strength. Apart from Leyte which so far is the province reported as the most devastated (especially because of the storm surge that hit Tacloban), Eastern Samar also was severely affected, as with many barangays in Cebu, the northern part of Mindoro Oriental (like Calapan, Baco, San teodoro), Capiz and Aklan in the Iloilo region and the northern part of Palawan. In most of these places, there is no electricity (even in cities!), there is water, food and fuel shortage. And expectedly, government response is so slow and so lacking and worse, in this case – they have admitted that they themselves are so overwhelmed by the devastation. According to government, they cannot even start actual relief operations yet because of there is still need to try to “save the living”.
Mismong ang mga government centers – like the provincial capitol of Leyte (supposedly the center of disaster operations) is still not cleared of debris and can hardly be used! Meanwhile, it is estimated that majority of the barangays that were affected have NOT at all been reached BY any help.
This only goes to show how totally ill prepared and totally ineffective this government is. Three days before the supertyphoon, the government has been announcing that it is prepared and now this!!! The government figures have only reported over 200 dead while almost all news report estimate that approximately 10,000 are dead. Many are still missing. Meanwhile, communications in most of these areas continue to be down. Several days after Yolanda, government is still in the search and clearing mode while the crisis situation in Leyte and Samar is fast reaching the starvation stage. Government keeps declaring they have more than enough rice and relief goods- BUT all news reports reveal that the crisis situation in leyte and even samar, is fast reaching starvation stage. (Excuses made by no less than Sec. Alcala blame the “lack of discipline” of the victims that is why they are only limiting the release of relief goods!!!) Government says it can not deliver many goods because of impassable roads BUT many news media teams have reported they have reached reached many so-called “impassable roads”, thus questions have been raised by no less than these news teams that if they can get through all the debris, why can’t government?
Thus, even with the new challenges posed by devastation caused by Supertyphoon Yolanda, there is a need to rise to the occasion and intensify our efforts to help our kababayans in the Visayas region.
Sagip Migrante for victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda has commenced this weekend. Our former staff, Myrna Arcuino, herself a Leyteno, left for CebuSunday, bringing with her some relief assistance for her barangay which was completely obliterated by Yolanda. Our MSP chapter in Cebu is already planning to conduct a soup kitchen for survivors in Cebu. However, we recognize that the distribution of relief goods would be more difficult because the communication lines continue to be down and even key contact persons in affected regions still cannot be reached.. A centralized (meaning all allied organizations) operation might be difficult to implement because of this and the very nature of the Visayas region.
Thus, Sagip Migrante has come up with these initial steps:
1. We are identifying point persons available in Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Negros Occidental and the Panay region. We are using our network of former OFWs and advocates for this.
2. For assistance in finding relatives, not only will we rely on these contact persons as this is very limited. We shall actively initiate links with the media outlets which have opened their hotlines for the purpose of helping find relatives who are missing. THUS, we are requesting that for our members abroad who need help in contacting their relatives – PLEASE give complete details: full name, former address, include BARANGAY, celphone number of the relative you want found and, PLEASE don’t forget – the name and relation of the relative who is searching.
3. For distributing relief goods from manila to affected areas, we have already partnered with the NCCP in distributing relief (using their network). However, it would be most appreciated if the assistance sent would be in cash rather than balikbayan boxes. However, we accept all kinds of assistance.
4. Asking our local chapters to conduct soup kitchens as a swift response.
Attached is Sagip’s official letter of request and call for help.
Thank you and we shall await your reply.
Para sa Execom,
Rina Anastacio
Unang- una maraming salamat s inyong paabot na mga paalala. Marami tayong mga chapters na naginisyatiba nang manawagan sa kanilang members para sa victims ng Super -Typhoon Yolanda.
Mas malamang ay namomonitor na ninyo sa media ang napakalawak at napakatinding epekto ng kalamidad. In fact, nagdeklara na ang Pangulong Noy nasa state of calamity ang buong Pilipinas. But what is reported in the media is actually very partial. Nag-landfall ang Yolanda ng 6 times in 6 different provinces, without weakening in strength. Apart from Leyte which so far is the province reported as the most devastated (especially because of the storm surge that hit Tacloban), Eastern Samar also was severely affected, as with many barangays in Cebu, the northern part of Mindoro Oriental (like Calapan, Baco, San teodoro), Capiz and Aklan in the Iloilo region and the northern part of Palawan. In most of these places, there is no electricity (even in cities!), there is water, food and fuel shortage. And expectedly, government response is so slow and so lacking and worse, in this case – they have admitted that they themselves are so overwhelmed by the devastation. According to government, they cannot even start actual relief operations yet because of there is still need to try to “save the living”.
Mismong ang mga government centers – like the provincial capitol of Leyte (supposedly the center of disaster operations) is still not cleared of debris and can hardly be used! Meanwhile, it is estimated that majority of the barangays that were affected have NOT at all been reached BY any help.
This only goes to show how totally ill prepared and totally ineffective this government is. Three days before the supertyphoon, the government has been announcing that it is prepared and now this!!! The government figures have only reported over 200 dead while almost all news report estimate that approximately 10,000 are dead. Many are still missing. Meanwhile, communications in most of these areas continue to be down. Several days after Yolanda, government is still in the search and clearing mode while the crisis situation in Leyte and Samar is fast reaching the starvation stage. Government keeps declaring they have more than enough rice and relief goods- BUT all news reports reveal that the crisis situation in leyte and even samar, is fast reaching starvation stage. (Excuses made by no less than Sec. Alcala blame the “lack of discipline” of the victims that is why they are only limiting the release of relief goods!!!) Government says it can not deliver many goods because of impassable roads BUT many news media teams have reported they have reached reached many so-called “impassable roads”, thus questions have been raised by no less than these news teams that if they can get through all the debris, why can’t government?
Thus, even with the new challenges posed by devastation caused by Supertyphoon Yolanda, there is a need to rise to the occasion and intensify our efforts to help our kababayans in the Visayas region.
Sagip Migrante for victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda has commenced this weekend. Our former staff, Myrna Arcuino, herself a Leyteno, left for CebuSunday, bringing with her some relief assistance for her barangay which was completely obliterated by Yolanda. Our MSP chapter in Cebu is already planning to conduct a soup kitchen for survivors in Cebu. However, we recognize that the distribution of relief goods would be more difficult because the communication lines continue to be down and even key contact persons in affected regions still cannot be reached.. A centralized (meaning all allied organizations) operation might be difficult to implement because of this and the very nature of the Visayas region.
Thus, Sagip Migrante has come up with these initial steps:
1. We are identifying point persons available in Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Negros Occidental and the Panay region. We are using our network of former OFWs and advocates for this.
2. For assistance in finding relatives, not only will we rely on these contact persons as this is very limited. We shall actively initiate links with the media outlets which have opened their hotlines for the purpose of helping find relatives who are missing. THUS, we are requesting that for our members abroad who need help in contacting their relatives – PLEASE give complete details: full name, former address, include BARANGAY, celphone number of the relative you want found and, PLEASE don’t forget – the name and relation of the relative who is searching.
3. For distributing relief goods from manila to affected areas, we have already partnered with the NCCP in distributing relief (using their network). However, it would be most appreciated if the assistance sent would be in cash rather than balikbayan boxes. However, we accept all kinds of assistance.
4. Asking our local chapters to conduct soup kitchens as a swift response.
Attached is Sagip’s official letter of request and call for help.
Thank you and we shall await your reply.
Para sa Execom,
Rina Anastacio
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