Philippine Typhoon Relief

The death toll climbed to 100, with 32 missing, and 5 reported injured, in the wake of typhoon Ondoy’s lashing of central Luzon, including the Philippines’ national capital of Manila, 26 September. The National Disaster Co-ordinating Council’s (NDCC) official count of people rescued to date numbered 7908, while it is estimated that there are nearly half a million people displaced by the flooding.

Power and communication outages exacerbate the relief efforts, with many turning to social media, such as facebook for updates on traffic, urgent requests for relief/rescue, and those desperately seeking the wellbeing and location of family members, friends. A Pasig family left for work in Makati, with their son attending a chess tournament, unaware of the impending deluge. Stranded in the city, distraught parents unsuccessfully attempted to contact their son’s supervising teachers. Resolved to wade through flood waters, they received word through facebook that an acquaintance had read their urgent plea for updates on their son’s whereabouts, and had tracked him down. He and his classmates had harboured safely in a building nearby the school. Local media outlet GMANews.TV has facilitated communication via a discussion board on facebook, providing an effective point of connection for anxious family and friends.

Metro Manila mall and shopping complex owners were called upon to open their parking spaces to provide temporary shelter for the thousands stranded in the streets due to overnight downpours. A local gymnasium served as a makeshift evacuation camp for 3000 people, tragically, along with the white coffins of 11 of their neighbours.

There are now local 30-40 families (approx. 100 people) still seeking shelter on the campus of Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) in the immediate vicinity of the Taytay, Rizal, location. Metro Manila District Superintendent, Rev. Bonifacio Plantillo, advises that at least five local Nazarene churches have experienced major damage, some submerged in chest-high water. At the same time, local churches affected are also providing assistance to flood victims. The following is a status report on these and other churches from D.S. Plantilla –
Novaliches, Quezon City: evacuation centre for 31 families; one badly injured child is now recuperating; local youth leaders, Sid Paragas and Racquel Valeza, have partnered to gather material assistance in and for their community;
Napindan: eight families taking refuge on the second floor of the church;
Emmanuel, Pateros: seven families evacuated to second floor; ground floor submerged, but water subsiding;
Theresa: clean up under way of water and mud damage, along with perimeter fence collapse; water level did not necessitate any evacuation;
Cainta: one of the most heavily affected areas where we have a church and Nazarene families, the flood water is still high in some areas; the local pastor is still assessing the situation of his congregation;
Tanay: church floor is still submerged, but the water is subsiding. 50 people are being housed on the second floor;
Payatas: communication with the pastor has not established yet. DS Plantillo will personally visit the church once the road becomes passable.

The District and Field have released resources for the distribution of food and water for evacuees, and is working with the district NCM board in its relief efforts. Other districts are preparing to participate in immediate response, as well as rehabilitation. Partnership with agencies such as the NDCC will be developed in any disaster response efforts, and in provision of other relief items needed include clothing, blankets, and basic household goods.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced today that it will airlift for free all domestic relief donations intended for victims of typhoon Ondoy. All provincial PAL stations will load on flights bound for Manila any bulk cargo box containing donations addressed to reputable, non-profit, charitable organizations in Manila. Verification and limitation of the contents of the donation boxes will be confined to items of value and use, and exclude such donations as expired food and medicines, but also water, rice (due to weight considerations) and unusable stuff.

Field Strategy Co-ordinator, Rev. David Phillips, invites and expresses appreciation for the prayerful and practical support of Nazarenes globally, for the significant challenges ahead for many individuals and families across the Philippines, and for the Church’s compassionate response.

NCM Asia Pacific