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| Photo shared from: Power to Unite (Facebook) |
For those of you wondering: my family is okay, thanks for asking. I also had a few friends who were in the affected areas; I've heard from all of them, and they're okay as well.
One of my friends, Fr. Edione Febrero, a priest in the Diocese of San Jose de Antique in the Philippines, asked me to send this message:
Antique was also hit by Yolanda. Less casualties here because we were more prepared than Leyte. The government really evacuated people in high risk areas to safer grounds. But Typhoon Yolanda destroyed almost 90% of houses along the shorelines either partially or totally, especially in the towns of Barbaza and Tibiao where the eye of the typhoon was.
The northern part of Antique was hit the hardest. Relief operations are going on but the more serious problem is the REHABILITATION. To rebuild or repair damaged houses will take a long time. Right now I am working on a possible procurement of temporary shelters--tents which they can use to cover rooftops. It roughly costs US$10.00 (less than 400 pesos - 4x4 meters), temporary but practical solution to temporarily shelter them in case rains come. Another typhoon is forecasted to come 3 days from now. It might hit southern Panay where Antique is. PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD.
I noticed that storm, since it crossed over the Philippine Area of Responsibility, now has a name: Zoraida. (I'm not sure what the international name for that storm is.) The Diocese of San Juan de Antique has an account that they use for their Social Action Center: RCBC SAN JOSE ANTIQUE SAVINGS ACCOUNT OF THE SOCIAL ACTION CENTER:#1459332002
If you can help, please consider doing so, either donating to the above-named Diocese or to any other charity that is doing relief work in the Philippines.
