Life After Ondoy

I think I found the answer.

There are times when you really, really need to read that phonebook-thick photocopied handouts you have for discussion the next day and you think that it's utterly useless, boring, and a waste of time.

This website and its articles are definitely not. Please do take time to go through it and read the well-written heartfelt articles. If I could only put up a billboard for it, I would. It's a must. And if you let it, it will change your life.

http://lifeafterondoy.com/

That guy is a genius! Thanks for sharing your time, talents (he's a web designer), and love Mr. Stefan Suarez!

Thinking about it, it's not anymore about typhoon Ondoy and it's victims. It's about the Philippines. The tragedy of Ondoy is a huge metaphor of our nation. I'll stop here. We'll talk about that next time. Please do visit site!

What now?

Has the bayanihan spirit died down already? I am becoming hopeless. Everyone who was spared from the flood are settling down already. I'm back to writing papers, studying for my finals, and doing my projects. Helping out at the relief centers can only be done during convenient breaks. The world has to go on again. It doesn't stop for everyone. What now?

I feel bad for the victims of Ondoy. If I were in their position, I'd probably break down not knowing what to do next. What do we do next? Just last week, my friends and I had this dream of creating a non-biased website whose main goal was to become a center for disseminating information to relief centers and evacuation centers of each others needs, suggestions, comments, and anything of use so that it'd be easier to communicate and coordinate (para walang sobra at walang kulang). Well today, I don't really know. If I feel helpless and hopeless about trying to help rebuild lives, what more the others-- those who need the help?

My friend Cookie sent this really great idea:
"I found something that'll take us one step closer to rebuilding lives: URGENT REPOST: 'Google Spreadsheet users - we need your help in creating an online database of evacuees' professions to help them find work again. Pls reply to this post if u can help or refer to us someone who can. Thanks!!!' "


To which a pessimistic yet realistic friend of mine commented on by saying:
"Dude, don't you think that by now something good would've happened to this country with regards to that? The sad truth is, there will always and forever be unemployed people."

To which I thought:
Thank you for pointing that out, but for now, I'd rather focus on the positive. There is no time for being pessimistic and blaming other people. There is only time for looking for solutions. But as of now, I'm hopeless. How can you really help fix this?

Please do comment. Let's brainstorm together.

From Bilibid with Love: Prisoners donate to typhoon Ondoy's victims

Just like finding a flower growing out of a crack on a sidewalk, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself staring at several sacks of donations- mostly used clothing and a plastic bag half full with canned goods and bars of soap- AT THE NEW BILIBID PRISONS, in Muntinlupa. Yes, you heard me right-- PRISON. Although they were just a few sacks of clothes plus a bag of at least 20 cans of sardines with 4 long bars of laundry soap-- NOTHING COMPARED to the relief goods overflowing in warehouses... they MEANT EVERYTHING to those who shared it.


What exactly does 1 item of clothing mean to an inmate? In prison, inmates are only to take in the essentials. Imagine the difference an extra pair of pants makes.

And what exactly does 1 long bar of detergent do for 4 inmates? It is what they are to share for 1 whole month to wash their clothes.

Lastly, what exactly does 1 tiny can of sardines mean? It is the meal to be shared by 2 inmates.


To us volunteers who have been packing day in and day out like robots, it's just can of sardines. Another thing you mindlessly throw in plastic bags while you are busy running around, frantically trying to reach the quota of goods to be packed. But to the least of our brothers and sisters, it is life. It is Love squeezed into a tiny can.

Imagine the wave one tiny ripple can make-- a group of inmates (from the council of elders of the prison) headed by Warren Zingapan told Director Calderon of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) about their tiny plan of how to help solve the huge problem. The proposal was for around 20,000 prisoners (who unanimously agreed) to give up their share of sardines (P16.00/can). If allowed, the prisoners shall be able to help fund the relief operations for typhoon Ondoy's victims. Calculate that and imagine the difference a peso makes!

And to think that I thought that one canned good barely made a difference in the stacks and towers of boxes of relief goods. Was I wrong! Everything and everyone is important, no matter how big or how small. No matter how useless they may seem, they make a huge difference!

Remembering what happened in prison today, I can't help but be so moved and inspired as to share it with you. I am so proud to be Filipino. Wow. Iba talaga ang Pinoy!

Let's share the love and pay it forward like they did! :)


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image source: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/sb10066590c-001/Digital-Vision