3 weeks have passed since a lot of Metro Manila residents suffered from Ondoy’s wrath. Hours after the disaster, social networks such as Plurks, Twitter, Facebook, etc. were vigorously updated asking for volunteers for relief operations, donations, food items and other things needed by the victims. It’s been great upon knowing that there are a lot of youth volunteers and that there are a lot of donations received at that time. But relief operations and rehabilitation don’t only last for a week, in fact, when Jeff and I dropped by the Sagip Kapamilya Center Warehouse in Scout Bayoran, donations are still pouring, one big balikbayan box just arrived from Saudi Arabia full of comforters, bedspreads and blankets. According to the volunteer in the warehouse, few people have thought of donating such, food items and clothes are the most common form of donations.
The Bayanihan spirit does not only apply to Filipinos, we’re quite surprised to see US troops at the gates of Sagip Kapamilya Center just about to leave carrying truckloads of relief goods.
The USS Harper and USS Toruga are carrying bulldozers, dump trucks, helicopters and landing craft to help the government deliver relief goods and medical assistance and clear debris, according to the US Embassy in Manila.