The Philippines is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire where almost 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur.  Because of this, it is prudent to have a first aid kid, fire extinguisher, battery-powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries.

Accidents, calamities, the death of a loved one… all of us are vulnerable to things which can alter a life in one clean swoop. Recovering from a tragedy would at first seem close to impossible. Making the decision to try to move on is the first step. It will be difficult, but it will get easier as time goes on…

Hurricane Katrina poured 250 millimeters of rain over New Orleans in 2005 with catastrophic results… but compare this to Typhoon Ondoy (international code name: Ketsana), which dumped a record 455 millimeters of rain in Quezon City over a 24-hour period.  As a result, a large portion of the metropolis were flooded, with the waters reaching six meters in depth in some areas.

Our kababayans desperately need your help.  Every little bit counts.

Account Name: The Philippine National Red Cross

• Metrobank

Port Area Branch, Peso Acct (Savings): 151-3-041-63122-8; Swift Code MBTC PH MM
Port Area Branch, Dollar Acct (Savings): 151-2-151-00218-2; Swift Code MBTC PH MM

• BPI

Port Area Branch, Peso Acct (Current): 4991-0010-99
UN Branch, Dollar Acct (Savings): 8114-0030-94; Swift Code BOPI PH MM

As of September 28, 2009 5:44 pm Philippine time, two days after Typhoon Ondoy poured one month’s worth of rain in six hours over Manila and neighboring provinces, 100 people have been reported dead, 32 missing, five injured and 115,990 individuals have been sent to over 200 evacuation centers.

Provided below is a list of resources you can use to report people who are still in need of immediate help.

In the past decades, an average of 20 typhoons passed through the Philippines annually, but the number has increased to about 25-35 per year – possibly a result of global warming. After Tropical Storm Ondoy assailed Metro Manila with the worst flooding it has seen in 40 years, we should be more vigilant in preparing for the worst. Here is a checklist of things to gather for your own Typhoon Survival Kit.

1) Prepare your own Typhoon Survival Kit such as this one: How to prepare a typhoon survival kit

2)  Make sure that your car’s gas tank is filled in case you need to use it to evacuate from your home.

3) Close all doors and windows.  As much as possible, stay indoors to avoid being hit by flying debris because this can be extremely dangerous.