Due to the incessant heavy rains in the Philippines and overflowing water from the Pampanga tail dyke, Gulf News reader Sheryl Ann Mapoy’s family was forced to relocate.
All their belongings were damaged and some washed away, as floods submerged their two-storey house in Pampanga. Her family had to move to their relatives’ dwelling on higher grounds for safety. Mapoy’s family is one of the two million Filipinos affected by tropical storms Saola, Haikui and Kai-Tak. And now, the tropical storm Igme is causing more misery to the already flood-battered nation.
Mapoy, who works in a hotel in Dubai, said: “The Pampanga tail dyke overflowed and it seems there was damage and part of it collapsed. Apparently, 7 to 10 feet of water furiously pounded our town and nearby areas such as Minalin, Sto. Tomas, San Vicente and San Matias.
“Luckily no one from my family got hurt; however, a few people from our town drowned. Our house is underwater and everything is wet, from appliances to furniture to clothes and so on. It will cost a lot to repair everything that was damaged, but it’s fine — as long as my family is safe,” Mapoy added.
She added: “I told my friends about my situation, and they were all sorry for what had happened. I am not the only one affected here. Their moral support is more than enough for me.”
It’s a natural disaster that’s hard to avoid, but some conservationists claim it’s due to bad habits that made this situation severe for the Philippines to be called “water world”. Mapoy said: “I am not an expert and can only say that the simplest thing to do is to know how to dispose our garbage properly. It’s a small act but I’m sure it will help a lot.”
If you wish to donate, here is how:
1) National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC)
Account name: NDRRMC Donated Funds
Account Numbers: 0435-021927-030 (Peso account); 0435-021927-530 (Dollar Account); Swift Code: DBPHPHMM Account #36002016
Address: Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Camp Aguinaldo Branch, PVAO Compound, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Philippines 1110
2) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)\ Account No. 3124-0055-81 Bank branch address: Landbank of the Philippines, Batasan, Quezon City, Philippines
3) Philippine Red Cross (PRC) http://www.redcross.org.ph; tel no. 632-527-000
Bank accounts for donations:
Banco de Oro Peso: 00-453-0018647 Dollar: 10-453-0039482; Swift Code: BNORPHMM
Metrobank Peso: 151-3-041631228 Dollar: 151-2-15100218-2; Swift Code: MBTCPHMM
Philippine National Bank Peso: 3752 83500034 Dollar: 3752 83500042; Swift Code: PNBMPHMM
Unionbank of the Philippines Peso: 101540000201 Dollar: 131540000090; Swift Code: UBPPHPHMM
Donations in kind may be sent to DSWD National Resource Operations Center (NROC). Address: DSWD. Chapel Road, Pasay City, Philippines.
In the UAE, donations to the following foundations will be sent by Al Rostamani International Exchange free of charge (service fees are waived) from August 15 to October 15, 2012:
1. ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. - Sagip Kapamilya
2. GMA Kapuso Foundation
3. Philippine Red Cross
4. De La Salle University Foundation
LBC, Philippine courier company, has offered to ship relief goods to Manila for free.
