Help Victims of Typhoon Ondoy

Typhoon Ondoy Photos (Source: GmaNews.tv Facebook)

Everyone desires to live a peaceful and secure life, but when tragedy strikes, we are awaken to other realities. Typhoon Ondoy that hit the Philippines unfortunately serves as a wake-up call. We realized our nation's irresponsibility and inadequacy, and the government's lack of preparedness in this natural phenomenon.

Typhoon Ondoy has left but its aftermath is devastating. The rich and poor suffered equally in the floods, many areas were submerged under Ondoy’s onslaught. It is heart wrenching to see the damages that Typhoon Ondoy had caused, the people who lost their homes and the grieving families who lost their loved ones. Hundreds have died and more are still missing.

For the numerous victims of this tragedy, this is a nightmare that would be hard to forget. We empathize with their pain and with their loss. May God give them comfort in the midst of this tragedy.

Sadly, we cannot blame nature. May this serve as reminder for everyone to be responsible in taking good care of the environment.

The Filipino's "bayanihan spirit" shows as people help those in need. There are countless acts of bravery and compassion showed by ordinary people; even though there are also unsung heroes who have died after saving flood victims.

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter became a hub for coordinating rescue and relief operations. The government and relief agencies are not alone in their fight to help the victims of this calamity.

Unfortunately, many families still need help.

There are a number of groups and foundations who are accepting donations and volunteers. I am also encouraging you to share and send in your donations. Here's a compiled list of relief organizations and foundations for Typhoon Ondoy victims that are accepting bank donations, credit card, PayPal, SMS and in-kind donations.

God remains to be our hope and He is our light amidst this tragedy.

Google Becomes Googlle Today

Google is showing a new logo in its homepage today! Have you also noticed that the Google logo has two letter L's? I've searched the reason behind this doodle. The reason: the 2 L's stand for 11 because Google is celebrating its 11th birthday today. This logo version is appearing worldwide as the date becomes September 27 in each time zone.

Moving your mouse pointer over the letter L’s will show this - Google’s 11th Birthday.

Happy Birthday Google!

The Wrath of Typhoon Ondoy

Metro Manila and other areas in the northern Philippines experienced the worst flood in recent history because of Tropical Storm Ondoy. The government has already declared Metro Manila and about two dozen provinces in Luzon region under state of calamity, said Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.

We experienced heavy and continuous rains since Friday night. State weather bureau reports that this 6-hour rainfall is an epic flood and breaks the 1967-record of 334 millimeters in a 24-hour period.

Water has reached chest-deep and as high as neck-deep in some areas, many residents were atop roofs to escape rising flood waters, some have evacuated from their homes and some houses are almost submerged in the waters. Gmanews.tv reports that as of 11:32 pm, at least 46 people were confirmed dead due to floods.

Hundreds of vehicles were stuck in traffic and passengers were stranded. To accommodate stranded commuters, the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) will be operational for 24 hours.

Meralco had cut off electricity in some areas, including ours.

At this time of crisis, people realized how powerful and useful social networking sites can be. GMANews.TV has even opened a Facebook board for updates regarding the storm so people can post who needs help. Emergency information can be posted on GMANews.TV's Facebook page.

People at home had posted their updates, experiences in their Facebook, Multiply, Plurk, and Twitter sites. Definitely Filipino Facebook group posts news updates and people who needs to be rescued. Here's a list of numbers that people can contact for help:

Red Cross

Send full address of stranded friends/family to Senator Dick Gordon: +639178897898/ +63938444BOYS/ Landline 143

Donate to the Red Cross Rescue and Relief Operations. Text RED amount to 2899 (Globe) and 4483 (SMART). The service only accepts the following amounts: 10, 25, 50 and 100 (pesos).

Visit Red Cross website for your online donations.

Metro Manila Development Authority: Landline 136

Coast Guard: +632-5276136

For Rubber Boat Requests: NCRPO +632-8383203/ +632-8383354

ABS-CBN Typhoon Ondoy Hotline
+632-4163641

National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)
Emergency Numbers: +632-9125668/ +632-9111406/ +632-9122665 / +632-9115061
Help Hotlines: +63-2-7342118/ +63-2-7342120

Noynoy Aquino & Mar Roxas Disaster Relief
contact Jana Vicente: +639285205499
contact Clare Amador: +639285205499

Senator Manuel Villar Jr., Emergency Hotlines for Dump Trucks: +639174226800/ +639172414864/ +639276751981

Relief and rescue operations are still ongoing. Flood victims need help. Please let us all pray for the people who were greatly affected by this typhoon.

An Eventful Saturday

This Saturday, September 26, there would be lots of interesting activities to do and events to attend around Manila. There would be a concert, a party, a play date, a workshop, and more. There are activities for the kids, the youth, the grandparents, and the whole family! If you have no plans yet, you might want to consider going to one of these events:

Nickelodeon's Let's Just Play

It's all about fun and slime! Entrance is free.
Venue: Bonifacio Open Field, behind NBC tent ( 2 pm - 6pm)


Ideas Alive! Talk with Budjette Tan & Jomike Tejido

Philippine Star’s Supreme and Powerbooks make your ideas come alive! This is a seminar and workshop on how to be a media creator.
Venue: Powerbooks SM Megamall (3 pm - 5 pm)


It's Great to be Grand with Kidstime!

An exciting day for Children's Avenue and Kidstime members from sunrise to sunset. A grand family day that also pays tribute to grandparents. There would be health checks, little ballroom dancing, games, art contests, and lots of fun and surprises.
Venue: Manila Ocean Park (10 am - 7 pm)


World Animal Day Launch Party

Venue: Eastwood Mall Atrium (6 pm - 8 pm)


Rockatropa Concert

The biggest free rock concert for the youth! Bands and performers include Bamboo, Parokya ni Edgar, Kamikazee, Sandwich, Itchyworms and more.
Visit Akala Mo website for free tickets to the concert.
Venue: SM Mall of Asia Open Grounds (gates open at 3 pm)


Ako'y Pinoy! The Biggest and Sing-a-long Concert Party

Pinoy Phone My|Phone free concert. For more details and free tickets, call 728-2168 / 728-3175 / 5833097 look for John or Chie.
Venue: Araneta Coliseum 7:30 pm



How about you - where would you be and what are your plans for the weekend?

We Love Birthday Parties

My kids enjoyed the birthday party we attended at the North Greenhills Clubhouse last September 13. They got to take part in the party games, bring home lots of prizes and party favors. They were also fascinated at watching the magician, the jugglers and the party performers.

It is the first birthday party of Chanel. She is the granddaughter of the Preschool Directress - who is also the owner of the school where my kids are studying. Party invitations were given to selected kids from the preschool. I have no idea how many got the invites, though we were the only ones from the preschool who attended.


Chanel had a circus party theme. All the party decorations and preparations were handled by her grannies. There were food carts that served pizza, french fries, hotdog, popcorn, cotton candy and ice cream.

It is a children's party, though only a few kids were there! Most of the guests are relatives and friends of the celebrant's parents. Like what the party host said, "this birthday party is also for their parents..."

This is a party where my kids had much fun. Maybe it is because they got to pick whatever prize they want and they got to took home lots of prizes! They even kept on saying, "Happy Birthday Chanellllll" on the way home.

A Family Affair at SIS Dampa

Mealtimes are always enjoyable when spent with family members. My family loves and enjoys eating. We frequent SIS Restaurant at Dampa (Seaside Paluto Restaurants) Macapagal Avenue, Roxas Boulevard even if there are no occasions to celebrate. Buttered garlic shrimps, tempura and bouillabaisse are the family’s preferred dish. My kids love the creamy bouillabaisse soup, a seasoned stew compose of several kinds of seafood and shellfish.

"Dampa" is a Filipino word which means hut. The "dampa" concept is where you can buy ingredients from the market near the rows of restaurants and have it cooked your way at the restaurant of your choice; or you can have the option of just letting the people in the restaurant do the food-marketing for you. We always prefer to order a la carte. Getting the freshest seafood is the best thing about eating at Dampa.

August 31 and September 5 had been an enjoyable family affair. My family and relatives spent these dates dining at SIS Restaurant for the birthday celebration of my two tito’s (uncles). This has also been a get-together for my tita who is working abroad and my tito’s family who lives in the States. For these celebrations, both the buttered garlic shrimps and tempura are on our menu. Pancit, fried chicken, spicy crab, tuna belly, chopsuey, halaan soup, and calamares filled our appetite. It was a truly sumptuous dinner!