“The spirit of bayanihan will move us out from misery. Not them, not us, but all of us should move out and overcome the difficulties we are facing.” – Pres. Benigno Aquino III
While super typhoons are a common occurrence in the Philippines, no one ever gets used to the devastation that they bring to our shores.
But as Pres. Benigno Aquino III said, it is only the “determined bayanihan spirit of Filipinos that will make a difference in pushing the country forward, in the midst of death and destruction brought about by Typhoon Pablo.”
As of press time, Typhoon Pablo has claimed more than 500 lives, with hundreds still missing in Mindanao.
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) chief Benito Ramos said that the death toll is expected to rise, due to the hundreds that are still missing.
Pres. Aquino extended his sympathies to the families of the victims, who will face a gloomy Christmas this year. He assured that the government will continue to work hard in finding ways to improve in disaster preparedness, particularly in upgrading weather forecast equipment and providing timely weather advisories to concerned localities, so that they have more ample time to make preparations for their safety.
“Our target is still to attain the zero casualty policy during calamities,” the president said.
Meanwhile, the United States has offered disaster relief assistance to the victims, through the efforts of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
After consulting with the Aquino administration, US embassy Manila Chargé d’ Affaires Brian Goldbeck offered to provide immediate relief assistance.
The Japanese government has also offered “to extend any necessary assistance,” as said in a press statement from Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba, which was released by the Japanese embassy in Manila.
Organizations, like the International Federation of Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and ABS-CBN Foundation International, are appealing for donations for disaster relief and recovery efforts.
IFRC hopes to raise around P193 million for the Philippine Red Cross in order to assist some 10,000 kababayans, who have been severely affected by the devastation brought about by Typhoon Pablo, through food and non-food relief items; long-term support for recovery; water and sanitation systems; cash grants to restore livelihood, and materials to rebuild homes.
ABS-CBN Foundation International is also appealing for donations here in the United States in order to assist in rescue operations and provide aid to over 86,000 families who are temporarily sheltered in evacuation centers.
As Filipino-Americans, let us do our share in relief and recovery efforts by donating whatever we can, to help our kababayans who need it most.
The spirit of bayanihan should not only exist within Philippine shores, but in each and everyone of us, wherever we may be.
(AJPress)
