Filipinos In JC (Jersey City, New Jersey) | JC, NJ » typhoon ondoy

How to Help Typhoon Ondoy Victims in the Philippines

jose — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:26:18 +0000

Want to help the Typhoon Ondoy victims but don’t know where to send your donations here in Jersey City? There are actually various groups organizing relief efforts and fundraising events to help our fellow Filipinos back in the Philippines. One of them is “Bayan Mo“, sponsored by Nosaj Entertainment and Cassanova Entertainment.

“Bayan Mo!” is a fundraising event where you can spend an afternoon of live music and entertainment at Fiesta Grill (West Side Avenue and Montgomery Street, Jersey City). Everyone is invited and encouraged to bring monetary donations and goods. Monetary proceeds will be sent thru ABS-CBN foundation while goods will be shipped via LBC. Entertainers, singers/bands, performers are also invited to share their talent, so if you know one, send them the details below:

Bayan Mo!
Description: Fundraising event to benefit the victims of Typhoon Ondoy!
When: Sunday, Oct 4 from 12 noon to 4pm only.
Where: Fiesta Grill – 813 Westside Ave., Jersey City, NJ (Parking across the street)
Contact: (551)998-6020 (Jason) or (917)656 9443 (Joey) | (646)643-6611 or (973)970-9443

In line with this, three Pinoy groups in New Jersey — Anakbayan New Jersey/New York Chapter, NAFCON and SANDIWA — combined forces in organizing community relief drive to deliver badly needed relief goods to our most affected brothers and sister in the Philippines. They are also accepting cash, goods, clothing, and any kind of help for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

First batch of monetary donations are due tomorrow, October 3rd. First batch of “in-kind” donations are due October 15.

You may send your donations to the following drop-off points:
1) Sinugba Cafe – 561 Westside Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07304
2) Casa Victoria – 691 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
3) Fil-Am Food Mart – 685 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306

Visit their facebook group page called “BAYANIHAN for the Victims of Typhoon Ondoy” for more information.

Philippine News: Typhoon Ondoy Wreaks Havoc in Manila, Luzon

jose — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:45:00 +0000

Do you have relatives in the Philippines — particularly in Metro Manila and Central Luzon — who suffered mother nature’s wrath? Typhoon Ondoy was dubbed as the strongest typhoon that hit Manila and Luzon since 1962, more than four decades ago.

In just 6 hours (from 8AM – 2PM) yesterday (September 26, 2009, Manila Time), the storm poured more than 13 inches of rain (334 cm), equivalent to a month of normal downpour.

As a result, heavy flooding occurred even in places that do not normally get flooded. People were stranded and traffic was halted. Among the places that suffered the hardest are Araneta (Quezon City), Marikina City, Taytay, San Mateo, and Manila.

Riverbanks in Marikina. The river overflowed submerging towns

Many people in the adversely-affected areas went to higher grounds as their homes were completely submerged in flood water. Rescue teams were deployed by the government but they were outnumbered by the number of people trapped in their homes and on their rooftops.

Katipunan Road became an angry river destroying everything on its path

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared Manila and surrounding towns and cities under state of calamity. Licensure Examinations for Teachers (LET) and Bar Exams have been cancelled, as most of the testing centers serve as evacuation centers.

As of this writing, the water has receded (down to knee-deep) in some areas, although some roads are still not passable.

The youtube clip below show the devastation in Eastwood (Pasig City). Please excuse the language in the middle of the video.

Rescue operations are still undergoing, and the map below is the “Typhoon Ondoy situation map“, which displays people who need evacuation help.

View Ondoy situation map for Metro Manila in a larger map

This is absolutely a horrible calamity, and the government is calling for unity. “Bayanihan” para sa bayan. Hopefully, the region recovers fast.

As for this blogger, my hometown (Pandacan, Manila) only suffered minor flooding and power outage.

Any updates on your hometown?