Info On How To Help Davao City Flood Victims

A father who lost all his family (wife, children and in-laws) from the flash flood.
They all need our help.

If you want to help Davao City, as they need donations for the flood victims.  Here are some of the agencies I know that accepts donations of all kinds.

To quote an email from Fr. Renato C. Ocampo, SJ of Ateneo de Davao University; "Fellow Board of Trustee’s  Dr. Bobby Bandolon (GS'83 HS'87 BS Bio'91) and Mike Sapaula (HS'84) suggest we can contact the Davao Medical Society (082) 2276850 and look for Aileen or Arlene (09179747804). Another option is to drop your donations of food and clothing @ Davao City Hall lobby area.  God Bless."

You can also contact and add @BongEliab's Twitter account for more info of Operation Center of Ateneo.  Donations in cash and in kind may also be made at the Social Involvement Coordinating Office (SICO) and Samahan Office at the Ateneo de Davao University, Jacinto campus. For other inquiries, please call 221-2411 local 8329 (SICO) or 8328 (Samahan). 

Also, contact Ardee E. Delola of GMA Dava & GMA Kapuso Foundation, Shrine Hills, Matina.

Contact DSWD Region XI for your donations.  They are also in need of volunteers for the disaster.

ABSCBN Davao Sagip Kapamilya Hotline number, 082-2961911.

You may also drop them off at Matina Town Square (call 082-297-1780) tent or Victory Christian Fellowship (call 082 - 226 8916/3057821) in Ilustre Street, Davao City..

Gabriela also accepts donations in any kind (clothes, food, medicines).   You can drop them off at Gabriela Women's Party Office, Cottage 2, Carriedo Compound, 301 E. Palma Gil St., Obrero, Davao City. Tel. No. (82) 2273403. 

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Cash donations can be coursed through your preferred foundations (e.g. ABSCBN's Sagip Kapamilya, GMA7's Kapuso Foundation).

For those areas willing to extend their donations but are far from Davao City, CEBU PACIFIC AIR IS WILLING TO FLY IN DONATIONS AT NO COST. Kindly contact Cebu Pacific hotlines on how to donate:  Manila Office: +63-2-70-20-888 / Cebu Office:   +63-32-230-8888

To extend much needed assistance to the affected areas, Davao City Government is open to accept donations such as MEDICINE, TOILETRIES, RICE, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, CANNED GOODS, NOODLES, BLANKETS, HOUSEWARE, KITCHENWARE and ALL OTHER DONATIONS IN ANY FORM.  Kindly send your donations to the Public Assistance Desk at the lobby of Davao City Hall.

For more details, please contact MS. MARY RESMA of the DAVAO CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE through the following numbers:

Mobile No.     :  0922-8935595

Landline No.  : (082) 227-4526

                      (082) 227-6054

You may also visit this page, I Support the Victims of Davao Matina-Bangkal Flashflood in Facebook about how to support this cause.

Our help is deeply appreciated in these trying times.

xoxo,

Noeh

P.S.

Let us always say a prayer for Davao.

Almost Drowned!

Found dead child from the flood lastnight.
Was crying seeing this.

I never thought it would end up like the way it is now. As of 1:42pm of June 29, 2011, a total 15 are found dead and 5 bodies missing. (Tweet of @gmanews)

We went to a children's party in Skyline that night.  Left there around 11:50pm.  When we passed by crossing Skyline/Diversion Rd., the water current was fast.  But it was only tire-level.  So we went on, never cared and was just thankful that did not stop the engine or the water did not rise.  

taken around 12:30pm when we headed back to safer grounds. 
taken from my iphone. I tweeted this to GMANews.

We were near Central Park entrance and we were like so confident coz' the road was perfect.  And then as we were before Tahimik Ave. of Bangkal.  Water was rising.  We never thought it would reach as high as the photo i posted coz' it's very unusual of Davao to flood like that. Although in some areas it does, but never along national highways. We thought, as were going home passing Bangkal that the flood was just shallow. Like half way tire-level only. Then as we reached Tahimik Avenue (also in Bangkal), the water was very forceful. Strong current. But at that time (around 12:30am) was still shallow. Then as we went back, as all cars did near the Bangkal Bridge (Even big trucks).  It took us almost 20-30mins to go back to areas not affected. That's the time we saw lots of debris. Even a pedicab was taken away from the strong current. Waters reaching almost waist. (This was the time i took the photo) Thats also the time when waters went inside our car.

flood water in our car. taken from my iphone.

We rested for almost two hours at a friend's house. It was this time my friend's mom called asking our whereabouts. She told us to never pass the same road as the water reached roof level. Coz one of their relatives live there. Then we called taxi service asking for advice if where's the safest route to travel.  Because they always have reports from their taxi drivers. We were told, Diversion Road is the safest.  We passed that road lastnight. Heavy traffic.  Bumper to bumper. Took us almost an hour to get through that road just to reach our house. The traffic was caused by all vehicles opting to pass by that road and a lot of rescue 911 vans also caused the traffic. Especially in Matina Pangi area.  I was thankful to see that scene coz' it somehow brought hope to the people living that area.

Scary when you know Davao never gets flooded like that.  I think this how my city is growing in terms of being a major metropolitan city.  (Take Metro Manila and the neighboring cities) People would also mention that if the city has heavy traffic, another sign of progress. 

But do we need to traffic/flooding to define that we are a growing city with a booming GDP?

I think the government should now focus on a good drainage system.  As the traffic here is already addressed.  How else can we  defend the Davao, as the most liveable city in the Philippines when flooding is present.   

Some photos are graphic and disturbing.  Photo credits to Joemar Lamata.  Thank you for lending your informative photos.

Injured, rescued resident. Thank God for this.

I think this was taken hours after the flood. Waters started to subside.

A friend told me it was like a scene in a tsunami aftermath.  This is sad.

I was crushed seeing this photo.
A younger brother watching over a his brother/siter who died  from the flood lastnight.

A friend of a friend informed us that their van was drowned in the flood.  Was washed away from the current.  He lives in Tahimik Ave. where some of the worse damage was found.
He and his family are safe now.

 sad.. sad.. sad.. If we struggled to pass by Bangkal bridge, this would've been our fate. :c

xoxo,

Noeh

P.S.

Good thing we were okay inside our vehicle coz' we have a 10y.o. passenger, son of my friend who owns the car.  

If you want to help Davao City, as they need donations for the flood victims.  Contact DNS (082) 2276850 or Arlene-09179747804.  You can also contact and add @BongEliab Operation Center of Ateneo is up. Call (82)2212411 local 8253 or 8201 for donations. Most Needed: rice, canned goods, water.

Also, contact Ardee E. Delola of GMA Davao. He posted this in his Facebook account.  "Friends, if you have anything to spare for our fellow Dabawenyos affected by flash floods, you may send your donations through GMA Davao and GMA Kapuso Foundation, Shrine Hills, Matina. You may also drop them off at Matina Town Square (call 082-297-1780) tent or Victory Christian Fellowship (call 082 - 226 8916/3057821) in Ilustre Street. Our help is deeply appreciated in these trying times."

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Heartbreaking photo still from Roland Jumawan. 
I cried at this photog's album.

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GMA News called to confirm about the photo I tweeted lastnight.  I think that photo and my statements will be featured later in the news.  Will be posting that later too. 

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Update: Here's the Youscooper GMA video feature of my photo.

(photo credits: see watermark in each photos)