Typhoon Ondoy Strucks Metro Manila

This post is dedicated to the people and families who are currently suffering from the devastation brought by Typhoon Ondoy on Saturday Sept 26, 2009.

Last Saturday, Sept 26, I woke up around 12 noon to my mom shouting, "Nak, lakas ng ulan, tingnan mo kalsada... baha na... swimming pool na!" Lo and behold, the street that we usually have no problems during typhoon season is now knee-depth flooded. I did not mind the flooded street. Inisip ko, huhupa din yan, and we are on the second floor. I sat infront of the computer and opened my facebook account. I chatted with some friends then around 2pm, nag brown out! I was feeling kind of inis. The rain gradually stopped but I am stuck at home with no electricity and no internet. Akala ko babalik na kaagad ang kuryente but after a few hours, around 6pm we still have no electricity. I also failed to use my cellphone yesterday kahit na naka unli calls because I was too lazy to charge it, drained ang battery.
My brother who is a fastfood Manager in Diego Silang, Taguig called and said that their store is currently facing difficulty due to floods na hanggang bewang! Motorists have been stuck in traffic and have no way out of their cars. He also said that 3 cars on their basement parking area have been submerged in flood waters.

Underpass in Ayala Avenue, Makati City

Walang tv and radio, my cousin and I went to Mercury drugstore to buy some candles and batteries. Parang ni ransack ang grocery area due to alot of people buying canned foods, noodles, batteries and candles. I was able to buy some bateries for my MP3 though. The whole Saturday night, my mp3 was tuned in to JAM 88.3 listening to DJ Gang, Lambert and Steph. They become heroes of the FM radio. Most of the Manila people who were struck by the typhoon we're not prepared. Their only access to updates are in their MP3 FM radios and cellphone FM radio. While other radio stations played music, JAM 88.3 devoted their time answering calls for rescue and SOS from citizens. I heard alot of callers crying for help. Tita, sister, mother and boyfriends calling for updates on Marikina and Quezon City flooded areas because they haven't heard any reply from their loved ones.

I was also not able to sleep tight last night. I was thinking of my Labrador who was left in our Cavite home. Alone! I am worried that she might get drowned if Cavite areas are flooded too.

Sunday came and we still have no electricity. I spent the whole day at home reading a book and listening to JAM 88.3 for updates. Around 5pm, Hon arrived and I asked him to accompany me to find some candles at the nearby stores. Super dilim ng mga kalye and most people are also looking for candles dahil lahat ng tindahan ay naubusan na. Around 6pm, bumalik na ang kuryente. Everything seems to be in place and ok again in Makati residential area. My hon and I hurriedly came back home opened the TV and watched the news. It was horrible! 75 people are dead due to drowning. Families are stuck in their houses in Marikina and Pasig areas. Mud flooded areas are flashed in the screen. Alot of people are missing and thousands of families are now homeless. T_T

This is a call for everyone to help. Please be a humanitarian and donate to groups who are helping in the rescue and relief operations. Please help disseminate information and updates.

Please help by filling out information here at the Rescue InfoHub Center.

Emergency/Rescue Operations
Private citizens who would like to lend their motor boats, please call these numbers:
912 5668
911 1406
912 2665
911 5061

For those who can lend 4×4 trucks, please send them to Greenhills Shoppng Center Unimart Grocery to await deployment. Call this number for more information:
0920-9072902

ABS-CBN Typhoon Ondoy Hotline
416 3641

Bureau of Fire Protection
729 5166
410 6254
413 8859
407 1230

Region III (Central Luzon): (045) 963 4376

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
All numbers are 24-hour hotlines.
Disaster Relief Operations, Monitoring, and Information Center (DROMIC), DSWD-NCR: 488 3199
Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU), DSWD-NCR: 733 8635
Disaster Relief Operations, Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC), DSWD-Central Office: 931 8101 to 05, local 506 or 951 7119

Jam 88.3
631 8803
Text JAM 883 your message to 2968

Meralco
0917 559 2824
0920 929 2824

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) 136 // 896 6000

National Capital Region Police Office (For rubber boat requests)
838 3203 // 838 3354

National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)
Emergency Numbers
912 5668
911 1406
912 2665
Help Hotlines
911 5061
734 2118
734 2120

Philippine Coast Guard
527 6136

Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC)
143
527 0000

Most urgent needs

Food items: Rice, noodles, canned goods, sugar, iodized salt, cooking oil, monggo beans and potable water

Medicines: Paracetamol, antibiotics, analgesic, oral rehydration salts, multivitamins and medications to treat diarrheal diseases

Non-food items: Bath soaps, face towels, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, plastic mats, blankets, mosquito nets, jerry cans, water containers, water purification tablets, plastic sheetings, and Laundry soap

Rehabilitation Programs: Shelter materials for house repair

Call Hotline 143 or 527.0000

The Philippine National Red Cross National Headquarters
Bonifacio Drive, Port Area,Manila 2803, Philippines