GPS | TACLOBAN | Filipino writes message on basketball court: “Help SOS!!! We Need Food”

After the Super Typhoon on November 10, 2022 | Photo by Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images

After the Super Typhoon on November 10, 2022 | Photo by Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images

TACLOBAN, PHILIPPINES |  In this photograph taken by Noel Celis, a man paints a message on a basketball court that reads “Help SOS!!! We Need Food” in Tacloban, Philippines after the city was devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan on November 11, 2013. I hope Noel Celis does not mind that I re-post it here.

How can you help this man asking the world for help? After consulting with the Philippine Consulate General in New York, I outline below the latest information I can gather, as of November 11, 2013, about relief assistance for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda (aka Haiyan in international circles).

Be careful. It is very important that you donate to the correct humanitarian organizations that will actually direct your money and donations to the people and places who badly need it. Unfortunately, there will always be people who will take advantage of the real suffering of others, so please don’t just give your money to anybody.

According to a site report, issued on November 12, 2022 by NDRRMC (the Philippine government’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council), a “total of 2,055, 630 families or 9,497, 847 people were affected in 49 cities in 41 provinces.” Of that 630,054 people were displaced or homeless. The number of damaged houses increased to 19,551 homes.

The NDRRMC document — which you can download here — lists the names of 229 known Filipino casualties, so far, who are missing, injured or dead. The PDF document offers the latest region-by-region account of the effects of Typhoon Haiyan in the entire Visayas region.

A. Casualties

1. According to the latest report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (www.ndrrmc.gov.ph), there were 255 confirmed dead, 71 injured and 38 missing in the areas affected by super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan). Media reports give higher figures.

2. A total of 2,095,262 families or 9,679,059 individuals were affected in 7,251 villages in 471 municipalities and 51 cities and 41 provinces of Regions IV-A, IV-8, V, VI, VII, VIII, X, XI and CARAGA.

B. Tracing Facilities for Missing Relatives
1. Filipino Americans looking for relatives in the affected areas may use this tracking facility of the Philippine National Red Cross: https://docs.goog/e.com/forms/d/16aqOAH-OnEE_bM53iL5qlnqHPZ28/ntEXPs­rS01a88/viewform

2. They may also send email query to NDRRMC at: Email address: dopcenbackup@gmail.com

C. Relief Supplies Needed

1. The following are the most needed relief supplies as of this time:
a. Food (preferably ready-to-eat)
b. Water
c. Water purifier
d. Water containers
e. Tents and other temporary shelters f. Blankets, pillows, towels, etc.
g. Hygiene kits
h. Cooking apparatus and utensils
i. Power generators
j. Medicines and medical supplies

2. Donors are requested to look for partner organizations in the Philippines that will facilitate the release of the relief supplies from customs and distribute them to the affected areas. (Note: The Philippine Consulate General does not collect relief goods nor ship them to the Philippines.)

Philippine Consulate General
556 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036
Tel No. (212)764-1330 Fax No. (212)764-6010 e-mail: phcongen.newyork@gmail.com
website: www.newyorkpcg.org

3. In view of the urgency of the situation in the Philippines, donors are requested to send their donations via air freight.

D. Cash Donations
1. Cash donations are still the preferred type of assistance to give the government flexibility in purchasing the much needed supplies and distributing them to as many victims in the affected areas.

2. Monetary donations may be sent to:
a) National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC)

Account name: NDRRMC Donated Funds
Account Numbers:
0435-021927-030 (Peso Account)
0435-021927-530 (Dollar Account)
Swift Code: DBPHPHMM Account No. 36002016
Bank Address: Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Camp Aguinaldo Branch, PVAO Compound, Camp Aguinaldo Quezon City, Philippines 1110
Contact Person: Ms. Rufina A. Pascual, Collecting Officer NDRRMC, Office of Civil Defense, Camp Aguinaldo, Q.C.
Contact Nos. (632) 421-1920; 911-5061 up to 651ocal116
Email: accounting@ocd.gov.ph
Website: www.ndrrmc.gov.ph

b) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Account No: 3124-0055-81
Bank Branch Address: Land Bank of the Philippines, Batasan, Quezon City, Philippines
Contact Person: Ms. Fe Catalina Ea, Cash Division
Contact Nos: (632) 931-8101 local226; cell no. (632) 918-628-1897
Website: www.dswd.gov.ph

c) Philippine National Red Cross (PRC)
Website: www.redcross.org.ph
Tel: (642) 527-0000

Banco De Oro
Peso: 00-453-0018647
Dollar: 10-453-0039482
Swift Code: BNORPHMM

Philippine National Bank
Peso: 3752-8350-0034
Dollar: 3752-8350-0042
Swift Code: PNBMPHMM

Metrobank
Peso: 151-3-041631228
Dollar: 151-2-15100218-2
Swift Code: MBTCPHMM

Unionbank of the Philippines
Peso: 1015-4000-0201
Dollar: 1315-4000-0090
Swift Code: UBPHPHMM

d) Handang Tumulong Foundation, Inc. (HTFI), New Jersey
Handang Tumulong is a 501 c(3) tax-exempt organization (Tax ID: 27-1805860) and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. You can make your donation payable to Handang Tumulong Foundation, and mail it to P.O. Box 2743 Fair Lawn, NJ 07410. Please indicate in your check that the donation is meant for the victim of Typhoon Yolanda.

Contact persons: Ms. Uta Peria - cell no.: 1-201-232-1742
Ms. Carmen Flores- cell no.: 201-993-1158
Ms. Nelsie Parado- cell no.: 201-960-7965
Website: www.handangtumulong.org

3. Donors may also send their donations to private foundations, charity and church-based organizations and other non-government organizations that they know in the Philippines and are willing to partner with them to assist the victims of super typhoon Yolanda.

E. Entry of Humanitarian Workers, Medical Workers and Search-and-Rescue Teams
1. Search-and-rescue and medical teams may go the affected areas to help the victims.
However, they should check if they will require visas to go to the Philippines. Most nationals are eligible to go to the Philippines for 30 days without visa.

2. At this time, the Philippine Government does not have the resources nor the capability to assist, escort and guarantee the security of search-and-rescue and medical teams to the affected areas.

3. Groups that wish to do search-and-rescue missions should coordinate with the NDRRMC­ Office of Civil Defense while medical teams should do so with the Department of Health in Manila to get advice on where to go. Their partners in the Philippines should assist them in coordinating with the NDRRMC and DOH.

4. Members of these groups will be responsible for their travel from Manila or Cebu to the affected areas. They will also be responsible for the safety of their team members as well as for their provisions (e.g. food, clothing, shelter, communication, electric power) while in the field.

For all other queries, please send message to the Philippine Consulate General at email address: phcongen.newvork@gmail.com.

  • Dramatic footage of super typhoon hitting Tacloban (itv.com)
  • How to help | Urgent relief efforts deployed; 10,000 feared dead; super typhoon devastates the Philippines (thejournalist.ie)
  • Police, military forces visible to secure shops and ATMs in Tacloban, Philippines, after reports of looting, @ANCALERTS reports (anc.yahoo.com)
  • Filipino expats in US seek news after typhoon (sacbee.com)
  • Philippine typhoon survivors beg for help as rescuers struggle (firstpost.com)
  • Philippines city of death and ruins: Once-vibrant Tacloban transformed into wasteland by Typhoon Haiyan (abc.net.au)
  • Filipino-Americans try to contact family in typhoon-devastated regions (cbsnews.com)
  • How You Can Help: Philippines Relief Efforts Underway (losangeles.cbslocal.com)
  • Typhoon Haiyan: Philippines prepares climate change plans for worse to come (theguardian.com)
  • Many in local Filipino community still in dark about loved ones (thegazette.com)

One thought on “GPS | TACLOBAN | Filipino writes message on basketball court: “Help SOS!!! We Need Food”

  1. Pingback: Let Us Help the Victims of Typhoon Yolanda | From Korea with Love

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