In a show of appreciation, on February 8, the Philippines will launch a global “Thank You” campaign around the world to express its gratitude for the outpouring of support following the devastating effects of Typhoon Haiyan which hit three months ago. Using eye-catching images like this, and through social media, the Philippines encourages everyone to use the hashtag #PHthankyou to continue sharing their support and appreciation.

As I write this blog entry, I can hear the wind howling outside my window. The weather hasn't been entirely great the past week forcing a number of people to miss the Sinulog because of cancelled trips, although some managed to take trips to Cebu in spite of the very rough seas and braving terrifying boat rides armed only with their faith, all for Sr. Sto. Nino.  And now with tropical depression Agaton making its way across the Philippines, we, the traumatized Yolanda (Haiyan) victims are on the alert, not only because we are afraid of what might happen but it's because most of our houses here in Leyte haven't been completely fixed. A lot of houses are still roofless using only tarpaulins or trapal as shelter from the torrential rains. Actually, when I went outside to check earlier, the trapal that we are using as cover in our balcony is already partially blown off. *sigh* At the rate it's going, it will probably be gone by morning. Thank goodness though there's not a lot of rainfall because the scenario would be set for a long sleepless night surrounded by buckets of water due to a leaking roof. Oh well.

So what are we doing about this right now? A majority of people are waiting for shelter kits to arrive so they can start building. The small percentile of affluent people (the 1%?) have been able to fix their houses already, while most of us are still living one day a time, earning and saving to be able to rebuild. With electricity just recently restored (2 weeks ago in our neighborhood though we were told it will take another 6+ months of waiting until power is fully restored throughout the entire city), we have just begun operating our micro business but the damages caused by Yolanda completely cleared out not only our inventories but our bank accounts as well. So right now, I am sad to say, we are back to square one, like most affected people. But we are thankful still to be alive and resilient enough to get back on our feet to return to living.

But life really isn't back to normal 10 weeks post Yolanda (Haiyan) yet. I can see a lot of individuals still struggling to get by and many consumers still hoarding groceries, especially the ones living in far-flung barangays, but the Ormocanons are pretty disciplined people and we do what we can to survive. Remember the 1991 flash flood? Eeek. I was only 8 years old back then and there was 13 feet of flood water in our house! But that's an entirely different story I'll write about some other time. *pushes memory aside*

My point is... we still need HELP, in terms of rebuilding and livelihood. We are grateful for a lot already and even though we are disappointed by the government's response to this tragedy save for some which eventually reached us, there were many good samaritans and NGOs/private organizations who have extended their hands to help us get back on our feet with their relief goods and financial assistance. But what to do about our shelters and in the long run, will it last? WHAT IF ANOTHER SUPER TYPHOON COMES ALONG? Are we prepared? Will we survive another round? Climate change is only getting worse and I am starting to feel it's like an end of an era (or have I been reading/watching too many sci-fi books/movies?). I guess the only thing we could do right now is help each other, rely on each other for support, and live on.
With #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014 asking this question: “If there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?” My wild imagination wishes the whole archipelago to be moved away from this calamity-prone location. But a continental drift will probably warrant an end of civilization or something in the lines of extinction, so I do realize and un-wish it because that's not possible. Now if there's one thing that's totally viable and probable, I really want to give the Philippines, especially those who experienced the wrath of typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), a chance to live and prosper AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. It will take a long time to rebuild if we are to rely on just savings from meager wages and foreign donations to come (if they ever will!). I'd like houses to be built already because typhoons are not going to stop coming, rains will continue to pour, and the winds won't be letting up anytime soon. I've also read and learned about 100% sustainable hybrid homes and eco-friendly houses that combine rainwater harvesting and clean energy generation (THINK: UNLIMITED WATER SUPPLY & SOLAR POWERED HOUSES!). I want to give all THAT to the Philippines -- to the staggering number of people who lost their homes and have been affected greatly by the typhoon and furthermore will more likely be in the way again of future storms.

An example of a sustainable eco-friendly house. Photo credit: Mesocore.

If Globe, a huge company and major provider of telecommunications services in the Philippines which support many humanitarian projects, can grant me this wish, expensive that it is, I'm not going to be the only person who will be unbelievably overjoyed. If this wish can be turned into reality, we can surely make not just a little but a GINORMOUS difference. Especially to the lives of tens/hundreds (thousands!) of Filipinos.

Here are some inspiring and ideal house models I've come across online.

Photo credit.

Photo credit.

I've found out that there are plenty of things we can utilize to conserve energy such as eco-friendly resources like solar power, photovoltaics, wind power, rainwater harvesting, insulation, and going off-grid solutions to name a few.

WISHFUL THINKING, INDEED! 

Pardon my imagination for going on hyperdrive again. The houses may be too costly to provide for all the victims, however wonderful and remarkable they truly are. If Globe can provide these eco-friendly houses, that would be extremely amazing!!! But honestly, if there's anything the Yolanda (Haiyan) experience taught me, it's to take what I can and be thankful for what I have and what I can get. But do you know there are some things that stand out among all the things we got after the typhoon? These babies right here...


A solar panel donated by my cousin to charge our gadgets and LED bulbs so we have illumination at night & a hand-winding solar lamp/charger given by an aunt that not only provides light but charges gadgets through USB cable as well. After Yolanda, people went almost berserk looking for places to charge their mobile phones so they can contact their loved ones.

Post Yolanda charging station at the New Pongos Hotel. Photos by Raymund Tan.

If only the whole lot of us had solar chargers at our disposal back then, we could have spared our relatives from being worried sick because we had no communication and no battery power after the super typhoon. Solar chargers are indeed valuable things which can give us some comfort during these trying times especially when evening comes. Never underestimate the power of the sun. In the darkness, it's something you can certainly turn to.

Image from Google.

I want to give light (literally!) to the dreadful ordeal that we are going through. If Globe can help me give these gifts to the people of the Philippines, then my #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014 wish for a better Philippines will not just come true but will make a whole lot of difference most especially to the victims of Yolanda (Haiyan). Take note that utilizing solar energy will not only decrease electric bills but will also cut carbon footprint! BOOM!

Guys, help me send this message to Globe so they might consider my wish. Please share my blog post to your Facebook, Twitter, or any social media sites. Also don't forget to COMMENT after this blog post your answer to the same question: “If there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?” If Globe hears me out and grants my wish, one lucky bastaigatsikat.com reader and "commenter" will WIN an iPad Mini 2 from Globe! 


Try to imagine what it is like to be roofless or homeless until now. But you know what... in spite of all that, we are definitely not HOPELESS! #BangonOrmoc

Let’s extend our gifting and make this start of the year another gifting season!
Let’s all make a wish that will go a long way.

Help create a wonderful Philippines. If you’d like to volunteer or make a donation, visit www.projectwonderful.ph!


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After the tragedy brought about by Yolanda, the idea of celebrating much more spending thousands for firecrackers is improbable. But come New Year's Eve, the kids and the people in my community, my neighborhood in Cantubo here in Ormoc City, have started making the age-old traditional noise maker/home-made cannon or bazooka called LANTAKA, made from all the canned goods we've been receiving as relief goods from many generous donors. And I'm telling you, this is exactly how those tin cans can be recycled and there's quite a lot of cans just lying around here.


Okay, first things first. You need the following:

• Canned goods/tin cans for recycling, i.e. sardines, tuna, corned beef, etc.
• Plastic bottle
• Packaging tape or electrical tape
• Cricket electronic lighter
• Tools (hammer, knife, nail, scissors, etc.)
• Alcohol or Flying Tiger fluid
• Optional: Toy gun for trigger
• Imagination and creativity

If done right, you'll get something like this:

The closest thing I'll ever own to a grenade launcher! HAHA! XD

A word of caution: DOH actually bans the use of a lantaka or boga as it is commonly referred to in Luzon as it carries a risk of blast or burn injury. However, personally, I think is way better than firecrackers where you risk losing a finger or two, or maybe a whole hand if you're not careful. it's up to the user to be informed on the proper use of a lantaka which is not a toy by any means. it is not meant to be used an actual cannon where it fires something. It's for noise-making purposes only.

Watch this video we made demonstrating how to create such a device below.


Sorry I couldn't capture the "ACTUAL" (deafening) sound of the lantaka when fired. My phone, which I used to capture the videos, only has mono sound/mic I think. Whatever. It doesn't give the lantaka much justice. You'll have to see it for yourself in person to experience and hear the KABOOM!

It's really not that difficult to make one and if you grasp the notion on how it works, it's fairly easy to create different designs such as these:

It's fun for kids and adults alike! LOL!

Now truly excited for New Year's Eve! Not only did we get to recycle all those tin cans and save money from buying those dangerous firecrackers, we also got our community and neighborhood engaged in a sort of camaraderie to welcome 2014! I guess the more "urbanized" cities will have a normal NYE celebration but as for us here in the Yolanda-devastated province, we're just happy to be alive to welcome the New Year and most definitely this time with a LOUD BANG using our lantakas.

Keep the smile, leave the tears.
Think of joy and forget your fears.

Wishing everyone out there a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!


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Post by Maria Cecilia Tan Velásquez-Franco.

As you may know, Leyte has been in the news, particularly Tacloban and Ormoc cities because of the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda. We have received some relief goods from our friends and relatives from different parts of the Philippines and even the world. Thank you so much for your generosity and kindness. I'm sad to say I am not impressed by how our LGU and even how the National Government has managed this disaster. But nevertheless, we are still hopeful that we can rise again from this turmoil. Really hoping that we can get our electricity back soon! NO ELECTRICITY = NO WORK = NO MONEY = NO FOOD = NOTHING.

Post by Maria Cecilia Tan Velásquez-Franco.

In the meantime, please continue to include us in your prayers.

#BANGONORMOC



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The aftermath of Yolanda's trip to the Philippines was catastrophic. It was a Category 5 hurricane for crying out loud! Tacloban City got the worst of it, eerily similar to the flash flood in Ormoc City back in November '91. However, my beloved hometown of Ormoc City was not spared.

news.nationalgeographic.com

Here's a video I took during that fateful Friday morning of November 8, 2013.


Video on the left was taken around 7AM. We were in the eye of the storm around 8AM. The video on the right was taken around 9AM. The storm started around 6AM in Ormoc City and it ended almost 11AM. Whew! Such a looooong time! It was a helluva ride! So you can just imagine the damages it made...

Here's a longer video clip of the "2nd round" of the supertyphoon, taken after the eye of the storm passed us.



Aerial View of the damages... see HERE.

Some shots I took after Yolanda left.






















You can subscribe/follow me on Facebook and check my status for updates and read comments of people over there. Please send help if you can because right now we are running low on food and other supplies. Some people have resorted to looting and I'm afraid sooner of later with no food, people will become cannibals! Eeeekk! But that's just me having watched too many movies.

Seriously though, all of us here need a TEAM OF CARPENTERS to fix our roofs because that hurricane was a real mofo. Although I'm not complaining because even though the damage is severe, we are still thankful to be alive and in one piece. Never mind getting soaked and drenched in that storm, we still praise God that we didn't get flooded and there are no major casualties in Ormoc City. I really wish I could say the same for Tacloban. The news is just heartbreaking. :(

We pray for our fellowmen to stay strong amidst this storm (literally!) in our lives and that we will all unite in getting back on our feet and rebuild what was destroyed. We've overcome a great tragedy in '91 with 8,000 lives lost... Ormoc City shall rise again.

#BANGONORMOC!




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