PUSONG PINOY'S TYPHOON ONDOY RELIEF EFFORTS AT BRGY. APOLONIO SAMSON IN QUEZON CITY

"There is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving” ~ Henry Drummond

As relief operations were ongoing in other parts of Metro Manila during the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy, Pusong Pinoy Philippines Team Leader BENG DIZON with her family and friends put together their own relief operation for the typhoon victims of Barangay Apolonio Samson in Quezon City. The relief goods were distributed at the Parkway Village Chapel on October 24, 2009.

According to PP Team Leader Beng...
"With God's grace and help of generous family and friends, we were able to distribute 300 bags of relief goods to families affected by Typhoon Ondoy. It has been weeks since Metro Manila had been devastated by the typhoon. Most of us have started to move on with our lives. Sadly, these families have not recovered due to lack of resources to do so. Relief goods from big companies have not reached them, because their focus is in the highly reported flooded areas of Marikina, Pasig, and Laguna. Until now, many could still not afford to buy basic needs, especially food. During our relief goods distribution last Saturday, the families were very thankful and appreciative of the goods they received."

Pusong Pinoy would like to thank the following donors for making this relief effort possible: Sarah Encina, Liza Arzaga, Tina Monzod, Rowena Chee, TL Joanne Bermudez, VTL Victor Bermudez, and most especially to TL Beng Dizon and her family. Thank you so much! You truly are heroes!

PUSONG PINOY'S PROJECT TSINELAS FOR CHRISTMAS

PHOTO CREDIT: DAN MACARANDANG/PHOTO KALYE

ULINGAN, TONDO, a slum area in Manila. After burning scraps of wood, a young barefoot girl sifts through the ashes of the wood she just burned in hopes of finding nails she can resell. A child who should be out playing instead of risking burns, infections, and a host of other dangers trying to earn money for her family. Pusong Pinoy may not have the power to change her environment just yet, but perhaps by giving her a pair of tsinelas (slippers) this Christmas, we may give her some comfort.

We need kind-hearted HEROES to help us provide comfort to 1,502 kids. Together, let's collect tsinelas this Christmas, so that 1,502 kids would not have to go barefoot.

For more information on how to donate tsinelas for our Project PPP, please contact the Team Leader in your area.

Click here to know more about PROJECT PPP: Pamasko ng Pusong Pinoy (Christmas Gift-Giving of Pusong Pinoy)

MORE RELIEF EFFORTS FOR TYPHOON PEPENG VICTIMS IN BENGUET

With so many kababayans (fellowmen) in need of help, Pusong Pinoy and the DZWT Binnadang Charity Foundation organized another relief operation. This time to Atok, one of the isolated municipalities of Benguet, and Tadian, one of the worst-hit areas in the Mountain Province. Overwhelmed by the response for aid from kind-hearted donors both local and overseas, the organizers were determined to reach both areas. Transportation for volunteers and delivery of goods were provided by local entrepreneur, JACK DULNUAN.

Pusong Pinoy Baguio-Benguet Team Leader BYD BAWAYAN reports:
"Despite being tired the previous day from purchasing, sorting, repacking of goods, and donation pick-ups, the volunteers were all ready and excited for the long trip. They left Baguio in the wee hours of the morning of October 17th. However, getting to Sayangan, Atok was a struggle as the volunteers would later find out. The once-Grand Halsema Highway was reduced to rubble by Typhoon Pepeng. There were several "freshly cleared" slide areas which the party's vehicles had trouble getting through. What would usually be a 1 hour and 30-minute drive to Atok took them 5 hours. To reach their destination, the volunteers often had to push the vehicles throughout the trip.

After leaving half of the relief goods at Sayangan, the municipal capital of Atok, the volunteers headed for Tadian, Mt. Province where goods were distributed to 70 affected families. The volunteers were inspired by the community spirit as they observed the locals involved in rebuilding their community in every way. The men were doing road work, clearing, and in retrieval operations, while the youth sorted the relief goods, women cooked food for volunteers, and senior citizens helped in every way they can.

As the volunteers headed back to Baguio, they were met by another obstacle - Halsema highway was temporarily closed due to rains brought about by the low pressure area and incoming typhoon. The volunteers decided to take a different route which posed a risk due to warnings of hold-ups on that new route and landslides. During their journey via the new route, one van got stuck in knee-deep muddy water and volunteers had to wade in knee-deep mud to push the van. After a quick rest stop at a gas station, the volunteers arrived back to Baguio City the following day, October 18, 2009.

We thank all the volunteers who helped out in this event. The team from the DZWT / MPBC BINNADANG Charity Foundation led by Field Reporters ROSE MALEKCHAN and MINDA LICAWEN, volunteers from the Indigenous Youth Network (IYN), Luzon 14 Interactive Community, and Ayala Young Leaders Alliance. We also thank all the generous donors who contributed. Without you, our operation would never have pushed through!

Special thanks to Pusong Pinoy Team Dubai led by CHERY ROSE TANEDO! May your tribe increase!"

Kudos to Pusong Pinoy Baguio-Benguet especially to Team Leader Byd for this relief operation! We encourage our kababayans to continue supporting our cause so we can, in turn, help others! God bless you all!

PUSONG PINOY'S TYPHOON PEPENG RELIEF EFFORTS AT KABUYAO, BENGUET

On October 16, 2009, Pusong Pinoy Baguio-Benguet Team Leader Adi received a text message from Sir Edgar Vicente of Kabuyao Elementary School asking for help for his community. Kabuyao was devastated by Typhoon Pepeng and all the farmer's crops were destroyed. In a day or two, the families affected by the typhoon will have no food on their table.

Adi called for assistance and immediately, Vice-Team Leader (VTL) JINKY SONSALLA of Pusong Pinoy Team Hong Kong wired a cash donation to Baguio. Unused funds previously sent by Pusong Pinoy Dubai Team Leader CHERRY TANEDO for another relief effort in Benguet were also diverted to this higher priority. With the donated funds, our Pusong Pinoy team purchased relief goods, repacked them for distribution, and brought them to Kabuyao Elementary School as the relief distribution was scheduled the following day.

On Sunday morning, the Pusong Pinoy team led by Adi trekked for hours through muddy and eroded roads to the mountain community of Kabuyao. Though tired from the hike, the team could not help but smile when they saw the happy faces of the residents at the Kabuyao Elementary School. They received a warm welcome from the school principal and the Barangay Tanods, who provided them snacks.

A message from Pusong Pinoy Team Leader Adi:

"It’s so heartwarming to see the happy smiles painted on the faces of the Kabuyao residents as they received their share of relief goods. We walked back for another hour to return to the City proper after the relief distribution. Though tired and exhausted from walking down the mountain, passing muddy and eroded roads, we were filled with joy and contentment because we know that today, we made a difference to 230 families who will now have something to put on their tables!

Thank you so much to Marie Joy Toyoan, Lino Lumiwes, Hayde Joy Sab-It, April Sab-It, and Sheryl Caparas for helping me with the immediate relief operation at Kabuyao Community. Without hesitation and with so much enthusiasm, you all gave your time and effort to reach out to our fellowmen affected by Typhoon Pepeng. May you continue to do good and inspire other people. God Bless You All! Thank you also to Kabuyao Principal Sir Edgar Vicente, all the Barangay Tanods, and the parents who assisted us during the relief distribution.

A huge THANK YOU to Pusong Pinoy Team Hong Kong VTL JINKY and Team Dubai's friends at Godwin Austen Johnson office headed by CRISTINA CARLOS and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. Group headed by AIRA CORPUZ for the cash donations to the victims of Typhoon Pepeng in Baguio and Benguet. Kudos to all of you! You are all generous Superheroes! May God Bless you and your family in return! Basta’t tulong tulong kayang-kaya natin ang anumang pagsubok na darating sa ating mga buhay! Mabuhay!"

PUSONG PINOY TEAM WITH YOUTH VOLUNTEERS

PUSONG PINOY'S TYPHOON PEPENG RELIEF OPERATIONS IN LUNETA, ANTAMOK

On October 15, 2009, Typhoon Pepeng struck northern Philippines causing great damage to the city of Baguio with many casualties as a result of flooding and landslides triggered by the heavy rain and storm. As always, Pusong Pinoy Baguio-Benguet Team Leaders Byd Bawayan and Adi stepped up to the plate to help their own town. Just having returned fews day later from Cainta, Rizal to help Typhoon Ondoy Victims, PP Team Leader Byd reports:

"Who knew that after our outreach to Typhoon Ondoy victims in Cainta, Rizal, our own province would be in-need? Barely after getting back from Cainta, both the DZWT/MPBC Binnadang Foundation and the Pusong Pinoy Team reorganized its relief operations, this time for our kababayans (fellowmen) in Benguet. With relief efforts being centralized at Puguis, La Trinidad, Benguet, Baguio City, and some select locations, both teams decided to reach out to areas which were barely getting aid. Luneta, Antamok was once a thriving mining community and home to a huge open pit, which is the main attraction viewed from the Mines View Park. It was also one of the main resources of Benguet Corporation, one of the richest companies in Asia during its heyday in the 80's. Twenty years later, only a shadow of the community and its landscape remain as it vastly changed due to landslides brought about by typhoons.

The relief team visited the evacuation center at the Pacalso Elementary School at Bua, Tuding, Itogon, Benguet. After finding out that more families were left at Luneta, we decided to head there, too. Overall, we were able to provide relief goods to over 130 families.

Once again, we thank ALL those who helped in this effort! We wouldn't be able to aid them without your help! Maraming Salamat Po! (Thank you very much!) The photos here aims to encourage other groups to reach out to this community because only a handful of media coverage was brought in, bringing little aid to the area. Joining us during the delivery of the goods were members from Pusong Pinoy Baguio-Benguet, DZWT Binnadang Foundation, Indigenous Youth Network, University of Baguio Political Science Society, and friends. This list does not include the hundreds of generous donors who supported this relief effort! Again, thank you to those who contributed to this effort!"

PUSONG PINOY salutes Team Leaders Byd and Adi for their continued dedication in helping typhoon victims. We are so proud of them! We would also like to thank Pusong Pinoy Dubai headed by Team Leader CHERRY TANEDO and her team for providing monetary donations for this relief operation:

Djahanne Rosales of Hyder Consulting Abu dhabi
Lany Mercado of Tishman Construction of Nevada
Eastern Mangrove Resort Abu Dhabi staff
(WSP Engineers, Blair Anderson, CKR Engineers)
Malony Silva
Vic Tanedo

Please continue to support Pusong Pinoy as we aim to provide assistance to those who truly needs it! John Bunyan quotes..."He who bestows his goods upon the poor shall have as much again, and ten times more."

PHOTOS FROM THE AFTERMATH OF TYPHOON PEPENG

PUSONG PINOY'S TYPHOON ONDOY RELIEF EFFORTS AT FRISCO, QUEZON CITY

So many lives lost and so many houses damaged by Typhoon Ondoy. One tragedy is a 4-year old boy, a resident of Riverside/Florencia Street in Frisco, Quezon City. He was next to his mother when he slipped into the flood water and drowned. He was found 3 days later in Pasig River several miles away. Not only did his family lose their home, but they suffered the greatest tragedy of losing their beloved son.

Neighbors tried to help the family, but they have nothing left to give. Typhoon Ondoy damaged so many homes and many families lost the last of their few possessions in the squatters area by Riverside Street of Frisco, Quezon City.

Having lived close to the area, Pusong Pinoy Philippines Core Team Leader CLAUDETTE LAGMAN was familiar with the poor residents of Frisco, Quezon City. She witnessed how this neighborhood submerged in flood during the typhoon. She also noticed that in the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy, there were so many relief efforts going on in other disaster areas, but none reached the Frisco area. She then decided to spearhead relief efforts in this area with Pusong Pinoy Philippines Core Team Leader JOCEL TANEDO.

Together with Pusong Pinoy Founder DONNA ROSARIO, Singapore Team Leader ANGELO VALDEZ, and Dubai Team Leader CHERRY TANEDO, Claudette and her team combined their resources to help the Frisco residents. This collaborative effort resulted in obtaining bags of relief goods containing rice, noodles, canned sardines, and oatmeal packs for 100 families. Pusong Pinoy Philippines team members (Kuti Barnachea, Geof Paloma, Ria Tanedo, Jona Ortega, Kia Estoque, and Villa Florencia family) helped in the sorting and distribution of the relief goods.

Residents of the squatters area at Frisco, Quezon City started lining up at Claudette's residence on the afternoon of October 11, 2009 when the relief distribution was held. That day, the father of the boy who drowned also waited in line. This event was held on the same day as his son's wake. He had to leave the wake to get relief goods for his family. Stories like this motivates PUSONG PINOY to do more for these people, so please continue to support our cause.

Pusong Pinoy would like to thank our team leaders across different continents for coming together and making this relief distribution a success. Special thanks also to the following people who contributed to this relief effort:

TEAM SINGAPORE

Magenta Global Pte Ltd

(Denise Tan Lopez, Bernadette Chin & Adelynn Oei)

PPC Therese Poblador and her team

(Tin-Tin Mendoza, Dang Padama, Win & Rose Clapano)

Jennifer Jardenil Valdez, Jackie Jardenil, & Al Jordan Jardenil

TEAM DUBAI

Djahanne Rosales of Hyder Consulting Abu dhabi

Lany Mercado of Tishman Construction of Nevada

Eastern Mangrove Resort Abu Dhabi staff

(WSP Engineers, Blair Anderson, CKR Engineers)

Malony Silva

Vic Tanedo

TEAM EAST BAY/NCAL

Millie Padilla (Dublin, California)

This is only the beginning of our relief efforts to Typhoon Ondoy victims as we would like to continue to help them rebuild their lives. Please continue to support Pusong Pinoy, so we can in turn help others!

THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS ARE FROM THE AFTERMATH OF TYPHOON ONDOY