“After the deluge of the terrible storms, there will always be a rainbow, a grander scheme to rebuild new lives.”
The Typhoon Ondoy as you may have seen over the news, destroyed thousands of homes in the very city we live in. That day, I got a phonecall from my sister to ring up emergency numbers to call in Marikina. A friend of hers reported the big Marikina river had swollen and fiercely pushing out to the banks at 10am. Our country has no consolidated 911 emergency response teams, needless to say, there was nothing on the web to call except for the mayor’s office.
As the day unfolded, I recieved text messages from friends, people stranded on top of their roofs, asking to report it online. There were countless stories of being stranded for 18 hours up on rooftops as the floodwaters rushed in their homes in as little as 3 hours. People, cars and trees swimming precariously in side by side, washed out into the metro’s streets. It was mayhem as the rains continued nonstop for 6-or so hours.
The internet being the only form of communications for some areas (phonelines, mobile was cut off) was a huge aid. Facebook, plurk, twitter updates had helped Filipinos tremendously for calling out volunteers, troops to send out, rubber boats to deploy, updates on victims stranded, missing persons listings. In about 24 hours, private citizens and teams were dispatched to help out those in need. Its such an remarkable feat of unity amidst catastrophe.
Luckily spared from the rains and flooding, albeit the flickering electricity and internet connections, we decided to produce an in-world fundraiser to help out the Philippine Red Cross efforts. Casa del Shai and Straylight Botanical will be contributing 50% of our earnings this two weeks to the cause. Last night the Typhoon Ondoy music event was a huge success. Thanks to my partner and RL husband, Kriss Lehmann, our friends Miabella Foxley and Bethany Heart, we will be donating a total of over $L500,00 to Red Cross this week. Your efforts make you all our internet heroes. We salute you. Thank you all for extending a hand.
If you had missed out on any of our fundraising activities, please take the time to post your personal donations to Red Cross Philippines via bank transfers or Paypal.
casadelshai 
