Tzu Chi Foundation and Private Companies Pool Resources to Help in Typhoon Odette Efforts

Tsu Chi Foundation Philippines have already done a lot in the past. Master Cheng Yen founded it in 1996 to inspire people, to put compassion into action. They initially had 30 housewives saving 2 cents from their groceries, but now has a seat in the UN. Tsu Chi reached the Philippines in 1994, and now has volunteers in different areas in the country. Tsu Chi and Master Chung Yen has had the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Presidential Award -Kaanib ng Bayan and more. For now they are doing charity efforts, to provide medical assistance, disaster relief, educational program, livelihood and vocational training. They have worked previously in the restoration of a Tacloban Church, Typhoon Yolanda work and response. 

This year, Typhoon Odette Ravaged the country, making 9 landfalls in Visayas and Mindanao, taking out electricity, water supple, and now they're working with people on ground in Cebu, Bohol and Leyte and with the government units so they could help where there are most affected. This involves isolated towns, coastal ones, where thousands of people are in dire need. Children, mothers, people are going out on streets to beg for food, shelter, so they could survive. They now live in tents and makeshift shelters in the same area where the typhoon hit them as well. Cebu, Ormoc and Palo Leyte Volunteers are serving hot meals and water, Manila is also sending help including blankets, water supply, gen sets. Tzu Chi are calling for donations of water, food and funds. They need construction materials, GI sheets, nails, to protect them from the weather. They are also in need of communications, logistics and support. 

Digital Pilipinas convenor and Geiser Maclang Founder Amor Maclang says "Thank you for all those who came this morning, we all were caught off guard with what happened with Typhoon Odette. One of the reasons of why we're asking for your help to support Tsu Chi Foundation. A few years ago, we were invited to Taiwan wherein I had the pleasure of meeting the founder. A lot of our advocacy areas are in Bicol, Leyte, CAR, and Zamboanga. Digital Pilipinas is working with Tsu Chi Foundation to help scale harness technology, help them move money, to bring help where it's needed the most. They are very transparent. We need leader volunteers for education, environment, and work with the CSR arm of Globe, fintech and payments, beyond just making a donation through digital wallets, repurposing donated electrical appliances and sell them to put profits in Tsu Chi and help people. We need help in logistics, the devastation is massive. We will be calling for meetings, to update you of what's happening on ground. You will hear how you can best help in this crisis. We will have January 2 and 3 some rice donations, we need volunteers to arrange that, work together. Thank you to our friends from the private industry who are here, I wish everyone, the rest of our country have a better Christmas."



If you would like to help, donations can be course through these channels:

Yoly Crisanto of Globe CSR says "This is a test for resiliency, and we need to make things better. Communication is key. The challenge is to respond and build things better next time. When Ondoy struck, Marikina valley was under water, we had to build towers higher after that. We need our cell sites to withstand even greater winds than ever before. We build cell sites that can do that, to hopefully invest and pour out more, and there's no donor fatigue in the country. We should never be in this position again, we need to have more resilient measures. We will be there to help, we need to put together our resources, to help coastal communities, to battle the pandemic and climate change. There is a challenge for everyone, and hopefully we can build on our network. The government is very open, the NDRMMC, the LGU's, Siargao, Cebu, Davao, we need to have a concerted efforts, not just work after the Typhoon and say it's done. Let us understand that we need to put new antennas when the roads are blocked, it's hard to work in disaster response. The power lines are down, you can only repair if there is power. That's the reality on ground and it's a concerted effort. We are doing everything we can right now, every single minute counts before, after disaster happens. It's not easy. I'm appealing to everyone to hopefully get back and be connected again after that strong typhoon."

Tsu Chi Foundation has been doing in environmental protection, we have done it in Taiwan. It's something we can replicate in the Philippines, to make sure we don't experience these climate change caused disasters.

Nauman Mustafa of Coins.ph says "I've experienced the Typhoon while I was in the BPO sector at that time. People have come together and there are many companies who want to do this. We decided to put our own business partners to have their proceeds be given to those who need it most. I am a firm believer that we should help others. We are here to support Tsu Chi, we'll ask our partners to also support the foundation in our capacity. We just have to take this challenge an fight with it."

There were tons more from the private sector, it was really nice to see them connecting and trying to help in their way, so please help if you can in your own capacity.

"When the poor cannot come out, the blessed ones should go in and help." -Master Yeng Chen

How To Help Typhoon Ulysses and Rolly Victims

It was so heartbreaking to see people fleeing, stuck in their roofs or crossing mud filled waters in the island of Luzon which all happened this month. People are still suffering so I wanted to just help those who would like to extend a hand and give information about these avenues where you can help donate clothes, food, water, funds so they could all recover.

 Our friends from Bloggers United are collating funds and also selling their personal stuff (preloved and brand new) to raise funds for this cause. Here are their details, Paul Pax and Ana are good blogger friends and they've been doing other causes even before this happened. If you want to help, this would be a good place to start!

Aside from that, there are several partner organizations that PayMaya has been working with for Typhoon Relief which you can find via https://donate.paymaya.com/collections/typhoon-relief 

 

 

You can donate as low as 50 pesos, but if you have more, please do donate as much as you can. These organizations have been doing it for years and they can channel your donations to where it is needed. If you haven't downloaded the PayMaya app yet, please do on Google Play or the App Store. Use my code 2JH7062 so you can get 50 pesos for free, you can use that to donate to these organizations too. I'll do the same if ever you sign up. If you use these QR codes to donate via their partner organizations, you will get a notification in the contact details you have provided regarding your successful donation.

If you prefer donating clean clothes, blankets, face masks, alcohol, bottled water, hygeine kits for women, toiletries, canned goods, flashlights, cleaning materials, you may opt to bring them here in Quezon City where an aircraft is bringing 500kgs of goods to Tuguegarao come Monday.You may contact Danica via 09566692843 then coordinate bringing your donations to #41 Maliksi St., Namoco Grand Residence, Brgy. Pinyahan, Diliman in Quezon City.

It is also world kindness day, so if you want to make someone's day even brighter, you can use the PayMaya app for a lot of other things. I would suggest you do donate to local churches, organizations of people you know. Southern Luzon, Marikina, Rizal and Cagayan still needs a lot of things especially potable water. 

 

GMA Kapuso Foundation also needs donations, you can course it through these channels and they will help victims of the Luzon typhoons.

 

 

Please donate as much as you can, they need our help.

How To Help During the COVID19 Lockdown

How are you? Me, not in the best shape because I flare up so quickly, and I get stressed a lot. I often regret a lot of what I say after a few hours but I'm glad my mum understands no matter what I say or do. I guess it's us coping during this lockdown period, I wish you're all okay though.

Now I've been trying to help in little ways, because I know a lot of people out there are struggling. I've seen former classmates ask for help on Facebook, so I try to give a little more when I can. The Enhanced Community Quarantine is not ending soon and I understand how hard it could be for some people, I have been there. I'm glad PayMaya is still operational until now and the way I send money is thru their "Send Money" option on the PayMaya App. It's instantaneous and people get the money fast, more so if they need it during these days. The app also can send the money via Instapay because the Bank Transfer option on the app works, else, you can do the Smart Padala way so they can get it via Smart Padala agents or Palawan Express. 

Have you heard of the legendary Banana Cookie Lava cookies from Aperitif PH? If not, go ahead and buy a box of 12 from them so that another box of 12 will go to frontliners who need a break. I love what they are doing, it just makes everything so positive amidst the pandemic. It's a nice way to help while you're getting your cookie fix.

Oh and since we can't all go out and pay for our bills, inform your friends and family to do it via PayMaya. Just go to the Pay Bills option on the app and select the merchant, input the accounts and pay for the exact amount on your bill. I made sure to do that because the next thing we wouldn't want to happen is if services like internet and phone connection get cut off while we are all under quarantine. This is a good advice, take my word for it and get extra if you use my code KUMAGCOWPYMY to register. 

Now isn't that nice to know?! Go donate if you can okay? :)