On the faithful day of September 26, 2009, Metro Manila, Philippines experienced one of the worst typhoon ever. Over 10 hours of non-stop raining left the metro with biblical flooding. Areas that never gets flooded experienced it for the first time in its most extreme!

I was traveling with my sisters in S.Korea when several of our friends sent us text messages hoping we were okay. We got really curious because it was warm and sunny in Seoul. At 11:00 p.m., about 10:00 p.m. in Manila, we decided to call our mom. We were shocked beyond belief to hear that our ground level (parking area) was under 3M (10 ft) high of water, submerging 2 of our cars! This is crazy because the past strong typhoons, like the disastrous Millenyo last year, water never even came into the building. We always felt safe being elevated from our neighbor. I can only imagine what the situation of our neighbors is like. My mum and dad were stuck in the traffic for over 10 hours coming back from a doctor’s check-up. The helpers at home were (but had incredible presence of mind) trapped inside the house with rising water and no electricity thought it was the end of the world. We have friends who actually lost everything from this flood. :(

This is one of the many videos you can find in youtube of the Metro Manila situation then.

And the following is a repost of an excellent compilation by The Pinoy Chuva

Things you may want to donate:

1) Bottled Water
2) Instant Noodles (preferrably in bowl packaging like Nissin or Lucky Me)
3) Canned Goods w/ pull tab cover (no can opener available in relief centers)
4) Bread or Biscuits
5) Coffee or Juice
6) Multivitamins (preferrably Vitamin C)
7) Medicines (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Loperamide, Betadine)
8) Blankets
9) Old but wearable clothes
10) Slippers/ Flip flops
11) Alcohol
12) Some organizations will accept cash donations.
13) Anti-mosquito Lotion

For babies/toddlers:
14) Diapers
15) Milk/ Infant Formula

For USA Residents:
1) Help in the typhoon relief effort by calling ABS-CBN Foundation USA toll-free 1-800-527-2820
2) American Red Cross call 1-800-435-7669

For those near ABS-CBN:

Help pack relief goods at Sagip Kapamilya at #13 Examiner St. They are also looking for people willing to go to provinces and distribute the goods.

For those near The Philippine Daily Inquirer Office or a McDonald’s Branch:
Go to: 1098 Chino Roces Ave. cor. Mascardo and Yague Streets, Makati City or to any of its classified ads branches and to any Mcdonald’s Branch within Metro Manila
Hotline: 8978808 loc.260 and look for Megi Garcia

For the Cebuanos who want to help:
Please click on the link>> Living For A Cause

For those near a La Salle School:
(OPLAN: Sagip Metro) DLSZ (Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa) and LSGH (Greenhills) are now accepting relief goods and looking for volunteers from 8am to 6pm. DLSU- Manila (Taft Avenue) will accept relief goods as early as 8:00 A.M. at South Gate


For those near Ateneo De Manila:
Go To: Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights , Quezon City
Manuel V. Pangilinan Building Center for Student Leadership Lobby
University Dorm Cervini Hall
Hotlines: 09089977166, 09178952792, 4266001 local 5050
Operations: 24-hours operations for the entire week.

For those near a Petron Station or 2Go Branches:
Visit any Petron or 2GO Branches to drop off your donations.

The Philippine National Red Cross:
Monetary Donations

1. CASH or CHECK

Please send cash or check donations to the PNRC National Headquarters in Manila. Checks should be made payable to The Philippine National Red Cross. We can also arrange for donation pick-up.


2. BANK DEPOSIT

Account Name: The Phil. Nat’l. Red Cross

METROBANK
Port Area Branch
Peso Acct.: 151-3-041-63122-8
Dollar Acct.: 151-2-151-00218-2
Type of Acct. : SAVINGS
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS
Port Area Branch
Peso Acct.: 4991-0010-99
Type of Account: CURRENT

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS
UN Branch
Dollar Acct.: 8114-0030-94
Type of Account: SAVINGS
Swift Code: BOPI PH MM

For your donations to be properly acknowledged, please fax the bank transaction slip at nos. +63.2.527.0575 or +63.2.404.0979 with your name, address and contact number.

3. CREDIT CARD

Please fax the following info to +632.404.09.79 and +632.527.0575:

Name of card member, billing address, contact nos. (phone & mobile), credit card no., expiration date, CCV2/ CVC2 (last three digits at the back of the credit card), billing address, amount to be donated.

4. ON-LINE DONATION you may also visit our website at www.redcross.org.ph .

5. IN KINDS DONATION

LOCAL
Please send in-kind local donations to The Philippine National Red Cross – National Headquarters in Manila. We could also arrange for donation pick-up.

INTERNATIONAL

Send a letter of intent to donate to the PNRC
A letter of acceptance from PNRC shall be sent back to the donor
Immediately after shipping the goods, please send the (a) original Deed of Donation, (b) copy of packing list and (c) original Airway Bill for air shipments or Bill of Lading for sea shipments to The Philippine National Red Cross–National Headquarters c/o Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang, Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila 2803, Philippines.
The PNRC does not accept rotten, damaged, expired or decayed goods. Though we appreciate your generosity, the PNRC also discourages donations of old clothes as we have more than enough to go around.

Other Ways You Can Help:
1) Visit a branch of the Philippine National Red Cross and volunteer.
1.1) You can also send donations using your mobile phone: text REDAMOUNT and send to 2899 (GLOBE/TM) and 4483 (SMART/ TNT).

1.2) Globe is accepting P300 txt donation through G-Cash text DONATEAMOUNT4-digit M-PINREDCROSS to 2882

2) Visit Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC)
Go To: 72-A Times St., West Triangle Homes , QC
Hotlines: 9299820, 9299822
Operations: 8 a.m. onwards.

3)Radio Veritas
Go To: Veritas Tower , West Ave. cor EDSA
Look For: Karla Turingan
Hotlines: 9257931 to 39, 0918VERITAS
Operations: 24-hours, tentatively until Tuesday.

4) Victory Fellowship- Fort Bonifacio
Go to: Victory Fellowship, Every Nation Building , across from Market-Market, Fort Bonifacio
Look for: Pastor Bernard Marquez
Hotlines: 813-FORT, 8171212
Operations: Tentatively until 5pm may may extend hours. Entire week until Friday.
Website: www.twitter.com/VictoryFort

5) Tulong Bayan
Go to: Balay Expo Center, EDSA (northbound) cor. Gen McArthur, Araneta Center (right across Samson College) or visit WhiteSpace 2314 Pasong Tamo Ext. beside Faith Christian School
Hotline: 09175273906/ 09086579998/ 9137122/ 9136254/ 9133306
Operations: Come as early as 8:00 a.m.
Open to volunteers/ cash and goods donation

6) World Vision Philippines
Go to: Quezon Avenue (near Delta Theatre)
Open to volunteers/ cash and goods donation

7) Corporate Network for Disaster Response
How to: Donate cash through BPI Ayala-Paseo Branch with account number 0031 0654 02

Luzon Relief
Go to: Renaissance Fitness Center, 2F, Bramante Bldg., Renaissance Towers, Ortigas, Meralco Ave., Pasig City
Hotline: 0929-8713488
Operations: 9am to 7pm Daily
Open to volunteers/goods donation

9) Brainbeam Events
Go to: 2F MB Aguirre Cornerhouse Bldg 15, President Ave. cor Elizalde St. BF Pque. Across old Caltex
Goods donation