Help our Sisters affected by floods in the Philippines
As of today, an estimated two million Filipinos have fallen victims to the floods caused by a Southwest Monsoon which dropped a month’s worth of rain in just three days in Metro Manila and nearby provinces in the Philippines. Thousands of families are now crammed in evacuation centers as their houses remain submerged in knee-deep to neck-deep floodwater after rivers and dams overflowed. They are in urgent need of your help.
Our member organization, GABRIELA National Alliance of Women started “Lingap Gabriela: Calamity relief operations for women and their families”, and has been delivering food items, clean drinking water, powdered milk for children and nursing mothers, basic medicines, first aid supplies, clothes, sleeping mats, blankets, and toiletries to affected families all over Metro Manila since Tuesday. We appeal to kind hearts for help by donating either in cash or in kind. Here’s GABRIELA’s contact info:
Address: GABRIELA National Office, 35 Sct. Delgado, Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City
Contact Nos.: +639-228-895-626 or +639-209-836-266
Email: gabwomen@yahoo.com For more info, please refer to the letter below:
Dear Friends of GABRIELA,
On behalf of GABRIELA, I ask that you please take the time to read and respond to this call to action. Additionally, it would be much appreciated if you could forward it to those in your solidarity network.
As some of you may already be aware of, the Southwest monsoon has been unloading torrential rains in Metro Manila and surrounding areas over the past two weeks causing massive floods especially in urban poor communities. In many GABRIELA organizing areas, floodwaters have already reached the second floor of houses thus causing the evacuation of thousands of families. PAG-ASA, the local weather station, is forecasting more rains in the next few days. This and the fact that the dams around Metro-Manila are spilling out water will worsen the flooding.
Those affected by the flooding are in need of food items (rice and non-perishables), clean drinking water, powdered milk for children and nursing mothers, basic medicines, first aid supplies, clothes, sleeping mats, blankets, and toiletries.
For those in our international solidarity network we kindly ask that you make a monetary donation to help us with our relief efforts. To make a monetary donation please send to GERTRUDES LIBANG via Western Union and inform us of the details of your donation, such as the transfer number.
Those residing within the Philippines, we ask that you either make a monetary donation and or contribute to our collection of relief goods.
For those in our local network, please drop off your donations at the GABRIELA National Office, 35 Sct. Delgado, Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City.
If you have any questions or require further clarifications please do not hesitate to contact us at: +639-228-895-626 or +639-209-836-266.
Recent Flood Evacuation Statistics by Area as Reported by our GABRIELA Chapters
Areas
Number of those evacuate
Situation
Muntinlupa
506 families
Flood waters have reached the roofs of houses; the only means of transportation are the manmade rafts. The flood waters are expected to rise higher given that the rising waters of Laguna de Bay.
Bagong Silangan
715 families
The whole community is under water with flood reaching the second floor of houses.
Batasan
94 families
The wall surrounding one of the rivers is broken thus sending waters into the area. They are anticipating the evacuation of more families.
Commonwealth
30 families
There are about 90 families that have been trapped in an area which they call the waterhole
Payatas
120 families
There is a crack in the dumpsite thus endangering the houses built on top. The residents are awaiting rescuers
Tatalon
Some of the 5000 families are in the covered court, diosdado macapagal elem school, and others are staying in the third floor of their house
5000 families in need of relief with some waiting for rescue. The whole area is already underwater with floods reaching the second floor of houses in many areas. Many families have been trapped by the flood waters and are awaiting rescue while on top of their roofs.
Dona Imelda
400 families in need of relief with some in need of rescue
Damayang Lagi
500 families in need of relief
Del Monte
350 “ in need of relief
Kaingin Bukid
500 “ in need of relief
Don Manuel
100 “ in need of relief
Masambong
200 “ in need of relief
Balingasa
300 “ in need of relief
Katipunan
200 “ in need of relief
Manresa
500 “ in need of relief
San Antonio
Some of the 250 families are already in the Sinagtala elem school
250 “ in need of relief
Bahay Toro
2000 families in need of relief. Since two days ago, some places in Bahay Toro had waist high flood waters.
Bignay, Valenzuela
40 families are already in evacuation center
Many families still refuse to evacuate though flood waters are rising.
Manila
Flood waters are fast rising even in higher areas like Sta. Mesa.
**The average Filipino family is composed of 6 persons; most families in the Philippines have multiple generations living in one household**
Kind Regards,
Joan Salvador
GABRIELA Philippines