Sunday, October 11, 2009

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