I can't sleep. I can't seem to stop clicking on blogs and links; refreshing facebook and twitter and wherever else I can get a hold of news of Ondoy. This weekend was so surreal. The storm brought too much damage in such a short time. I felt so pathetic treading the knee-deep flood waters along Taft Avenue and being stranded for 11 hours in a bus... but that doesn't really compare to what my kababayans in the other parts of the Metro had to go through: being marooned in roofs while desperately calling for rescue; enduring the night with no food nor water; swimming through almost five feet of floodwater just to get through higher grounds... and a lot more. A lot of them are still out there -- families, children, babies, old people, sick people, still in dire need of help and rescue.
It's so heartbreaking, seeing all of this destruction.
But at the same time, it's so heartwarming to see that a lot of groups are mobilizing forces to help the victims and there are influx of donations and volunteers everywhere. The bayanihan spirit of Filipinos really perseveres and grows even stronger in times like these. I really wish I was near a relief center so I could volunteer, but all I'd be able to do now is to donate relief goods.
Please continue to pray for my countrymen and the victims of Ondoy.
More info here:
News from Inquirer.netWhat Ondoy did to the MetroHow to help How to help (International) To all the Pinoys in my flist, please do what you can to help. WE CAN DO THIS. We have weathered many storms. And we will continue to do so for many, many years to come.