They call it "nature's wrath" - that brought grief and pain to many families in the Philippines right now. Typhoon Ondoy's wrath was something no one has ever expected to happen; no one was prepared. Metro Manila and other parts of the country are under water. I have families in the Philippines and just watching the so-many people who have lost lives, homes, loved ones - is just so much to bear. The sight is just unbearable. I was so worried tracking down my families and i felt relieved that they are safe except for my eldest daughter who i cannot raise - in texts, phones and internet. I hope and pray that she is OK. I know there are so many parts in Manila that lost power and telephone lines. cell sites, etc. That must be the reason why I couldn't contact her. I still hope i would hear from her soon. She lives in one of the most badly hit areas.
Here is the latest Ondoy Alert:
TS Ondoy lashes Metro Manila and parts of Luzon
Tropical Storm Ondoy (international name Ketsana) lashed over Metro Manila and parts of Luzon after it made landfall near the boundary of Aurora and Quezon Saturday morning. More than 59,000 families or 294,555 persons were affected by massive floods in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, and Camarines Sur.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council reported that 52 people died in the National Capital Region, CAR, and Region IV-A. In the NCR, 7 people died, 3 in Muntinlupa City; 2 in NIA Road; 1 in Marikina City; and 1in Brgy. Bato, San Juan. In Region IV-A, 1 died in Calaca, Batangas; 1 in Calauag, Quezon; 23 in Tanay; 1 in Theresa, 10 in Angono; 5 in Baras; and 3 in Montalban. In CAR, 1 died in Kabugao, Apayao. Meantime, 23 people remain missing in Kabayan, Benguet (1); Tanay, Rizal (20); and Arayat, Pampanga ).
In Metro Manila, over 5,000 people from 45 barangays were evacuated after incessant rains caused heavy flooding in Manila, Marikina, Malabon, Muntinlupa, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, Valenzuela, San Juan and Quezon City. Flood water in some areas have already reached the second and third floors of buildings, forcing residents to seek refuge on the roof of their houses. A total of 50 road sections were also left impassable to vehicles due to raging flood waters, leaving several commuters stranded.
In Bulacan, 36 baranggays in Marilao, Meycuayan, San Miguel and Bocaue Sta Maria, Calumpit, Bustos and Norzagaray were heavily flooded. In Pampanga, 33 barangays in San Simon, Guagua, Masantol, Apalit, Lubao, Porac, Sto Tomas and San Fernando.
In Rizal, several barangays were flooded and 4,000 families were affected by rising floodwater. Many villages were not accessible to the rescue teams, leaving several families trapped on rooftops for hours.
Landslides occurred in Mt Province-Cagayan via Tabuk in CAR; Brgy. San Juan-Banyo, Arayat, Pampanga in Region III; Brgy. Bongalon, Sangay, Camarines Sur in Region V; Tagaytay-Taal Road, and Tagaytay-Talisay Road in Cavite; and Antipolo-Teresa Road and Sumulong Highway in Rizal.
- The whole of National Capital Region (NCR)
- CAR: Mt. Province, Ifugao and Benguet-
- Region I: Pangasinan, La Union and Ilocos Sur
- Region II: Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya
- Region III: Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac and Bataan
- Region IV-A: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon
- Region IV-B: Mindoro (Occidental and Oriental) and Marinduque
- Region V: Catanduanes, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur
Affected Population by Tropical Storm ONDOY
| Region | Number Affected | ||
| Brgys | Families | Persons | |
| NCR | 62 | 6,735 | 33,789 |
| Region III | 89 | 24,812 | 107,535 |
| Region IV-A | 77 | 26,228 | 136,473 |
| Region V | 2 | 1,146 | 5,730 |
| Region XII | 3 | 320 | 1,600 |
| TOTAL | 233 | 59,241 | 294,555 |
Source: NDCC
Appeal for assistance
A total of 9,601 families or 47,261 persons are in over 100 evacuation centers.
The affected families in evacuation centers are in need of food and non-food items like potable water, rice, canned goods, cooking utensils, containers, blankets, clothes, etc. Medicines for common water-borne diseases are also needed.
Donations for the evacuees may be sent through the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center at 72-A Times St., West Triangle Homes, Quezon City. Concerned individuals and donors can easily reach us at (632) 929-9822 / (632) 929-9820. Donations may also be sent through the following bank accounts:
Dollar Account
Account Name: Citizens’ Disaster Response Center
Account Number: 2-63600158-3
Bank: Metrobank, Examiner Branch
Bank Address: Corner Examiner and Quezon Avenue, West Triangle, Quezon City, Philippines
Swift Code: MBTCPHMM
Peso Account
Account Name: Citizens’ Disaster Response Center
Account Number: 3-63600741-3
Bank: Metrobank, Examiner Branch
Bank Address: Corner Examiner and Quezon Avenue, West Triangle, Quezon City, Philippines
References:
NDCC
PAGASA
Reports from the field
Do you easily trust someone especially your friends? I have the tendency to trust easily but once a friend does something that breaks my trust on her/him, it takes time for me to trust that friend again. I easily forgive and forget, because thats how i value the relationship. i do everything not to lose a friend, to save a relationship, but i also know when to say it is enough and i have done my part. For me kasi walang masamang tinapay, di ba?
Talking about trust and relationships, i wanna share with you some nice thoughts about nurturing relationships. If you are newly weds, soon-to-be-weds, once weds, long delayed weds, or not yet weds, this is for you!
TRUST is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it is the end of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity may result in separation.
A telephone operator told me that one day she received a phone call. She answered, "Public Utilities Board." There was silence. She repeated, "PUB." There was still no answer. When she was going to cut off the line, she Heard a lady's voice, "Oh, so this is PUB.Sorry, I got the number from my Husband's pocket but I do not know whose number it is." Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just "hello" instead of "PUB".
NO POINTING FINGERS
A man asked his father-in-law, "Many people praised you for a successful marriage. Could you please share with me your secret?" The father-in-law answered in a smile, "Never criticize your wife for her shortcomings or when she does something wrong. Always bear in mind that because of her shortcomings and weaknesses, she could not find a better husband than you."
We all look forward to being loved and respected. Many people are afraid of losing face. Generally, when a person makes a mistake, he would look around to find a scapegoat to point the finger at. This is the start of a war. We should always remember that when we point one finger at a person, the other four fingers are pointing at ourselves. If we forgive the others, others will ignore our mistake too.
CREATING PERFECT RELATIONSHIPS?
A person visited the government matchmaker for marriage, SDU, and requested "I am looking for a spouse. Please help me to find a suitable one." The SDU officer said, "Your requirements, please." "Oh, good looking, polite, humorous , sporty, knowledgeable, good in singing and dancing. Willing to accompany me the whole day at home during my leisure hour, if I don't go out. Telling me interesting stories when I need companion for conversation and be silent when I want to rest." The officer listened carefully and replied, "I understand you need television."
There is a saying that a perfect match can only be found between a blind wife and a deaf husband, because the blind wife cannot see the faults of the husband and the deaf husband cannot hear the nagging of the wife. Many couples are blind and deaf at the courting stage and dream of perpetual perfect relationship. Unfortunately, when the excitement of love wears off, they wake up and discover that marriage is not a bed of roses. The nightmare begins.
NO OVERPOWERING
Many relationships fail because one party tries to overpower another, or demands too much. People in love tend to think that love will conquer all and their spouses will change the bad habits after marriage. Actually, this is not the case. There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "It is easier to reshape a mountain or a river than a person's character." It is not easy to change. Thus, having high expectation on changing the spouse character will cause disappointment and unpleasantness. It would be less painful to change ourselves and lower our expectations..
RIGHT SPEECH
There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "A speech will either prosper or ruin a nation." Many relationships break off because of wrong speech. When a couple who is too close with each other, we always forget mutual respect and courtesy. We may say anything without considering if it would hurt the other party.
A friend and her millionaire husband visited their construction site. A worker who wore a helmet saw her and shouted,"Hi, Emily! Remember me? We used to date in the secondary school." On the way home, her millionaire husband teased her, "Luckily you married me. Otherwise you will be the wife of a construction worker." She answered ,"You should appreciate that you married me. Otherwise, he will be the millionaire and not you."
Frequently exchanging these remarks plants the seed for a bad relationship. It's like a broken egg - cannot be reversed.
PERSONAL PERCEPTION
Different people have different perception. One man's meat could be another man's poison. A couple bought a donkey from the market. On the way home,a boy commented, "Very stupid. Why neither of them ride on the donkey?" Upon hearing that, the husband let the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides them. Later, an old man saw it and commented, "The husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on foot?" Hearing this, the wife quickly got down and let the husband ride on the donkey. Further on the way home, they met an old Lady. She commented, "How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no gentleman." The husband thus quickly asked the wife to join him on the donkey. Then, they met a young man. He commented, "Poor donkey, how can you hold up the weight of two persons. They are cruel to you." Hearing that, the husband and wife immediately climbed down from the donkey and carried it on their shoulders. It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a narrow bridge, the donkey was frightened and struggled. They lost their balance and fell into the river.
You can never have everyone praise you, nor will everyone condemn you. Never in the past, not at present, and never will be in the future. Thus, do not be too bothered by others words if our conscience is clear..
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BE PATIENT
This is a true story which happened in the States. A man came out of his home to
admire his new truck. To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily
hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck. The man ran to his son, knocked
him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment. When the father
calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried
desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from
both the boy's hands. When the boy woke up from the surgery and saw his
bandaged stubs, he innocently said, " Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck." Then he a
asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back?" The father went home and
committed suicide.
Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or you wish to take
revenge. Think first before you lose your patience with someone you love. Trucks can
be repaired.. Broken bones and hurt feelings often can't. Too often we fail to recognize
the difference between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is
greater than revenge. People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But
the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.
Our friend Judith has finally ended her battle with the big C. I’m sure she will be forever missed – all the laughters that she has always brought to us – will never be forgotten. I remember her as one who always have a joke or funny stories to share. There was never a dull moment with her. She was too young to die. But I guess that is how she wanted us to remember her – young, vibrant, full of life! I am sad that she is forever gone but it also gives me consolation thinking that she is now happy with the Lord, pain-free, and so much at peace. To you Judith, we will miss you. Till we meet again!
Have you heard about the fatal death of Brianna Lopez, a 6-month old baby who has been abused by her parents and other family members in New Mexico, USA? My heart bleeds for this helpless child. Come to think of it, how would you feel if your child has been hurt by other people? As a normal parent, you cannot let that happen to your child. But this case is different. She was killed by her own parents. I am angry just like most normal people would feel. Killing an adult is even unthinkable. How much more..... when killing a helpless child like Brianna. How can you physically abuse a very fragile child like her? And to think it happened in a country like USA. I am crying while watching this video:
The whole world mourns the death of former President of the Philippines Cory Aquino last week. Cory Aquino is a true icon of Philippine democracy because she restored democrary in the country from 20 years under dictatorship. This, she has done through a peaceful people power revolution - the cheapest revolution ever. She became an inspiration not only among her countrymen but also to other nations in the world. She was a very simple, humble and a woman of great courage and uses prayers as her most powerful weapon. And she succeed. Everyone loved her and adored her; showing her love and respect and treating her like their own mother. I am grieving with her passing. She has truly proved that the "filipinos are worth dying for." I am so proud to be born a Filipino. And even if i am now a US citizen, I am still a true filipino by heart.
In 2004, Cory Aquino wrote a "Prayer for a Happy Death" which i wanna share with you. It is a beautiful prayer. On her passing, she got what she wished for.... a happy death. Tita Cory, we will truly miss you. Please continue to pray for us, that we will also pray for one another and help the nation so that it will be a better place to live in... for our children and the future generations. We love you....
I love Fridays! I could sleep in tomorrow and spend all day in the pool, if the water goes up to at least 82F! I was hoping that i could get in today but hubby just told me that water is at 78F which is too cold for me. Last night, though, was at 86F so me and hubby didn't waste that rare moment and had a great time. I heard they're calling for rain again tomorrow but i still hope it's gonna be warm. Have a wonderful weekend to all!
My husband and I love to watch movies and we do that every single night that it seems we are running out of movies to watch. Even if we rent DVDs everyday, it is still a lot cheaper and more convenient than going to the movie theaters. If we don’t watch TV or movies, we listen to music either through the stereo or ipod. Sometimes, we play video games. It is not surprising to find numerous remote controls we have at home – for the TV, DVD player, Blu-Ray player, ipod and games. It is really confusing that most of the time, it is quicker to operate these devices manually than trying to figure out which remote control to use. Even a universal remote control didn’t solve the problem.
My mother-in-law, who stayed with us last week for couple of days, was even complaining that she missed her favorite TV shows when she was left alone at home when husband and I were both at work, because she couldn’t figure out which remote was for the TV. We did tell her which to use but of course she couldn’t remember it.
We are really in dire need of something and I’m sure there must be something that could make our life easier. And I am so glad when I learned about this new Yamaha neoHD – the perfect solution to this problem that I was just talking about. With NeoHD, operating our home entertainment system will be a lot easy and more simplified because you can have complete control of all media devices with just a single remote control.
I know most of you can relate to this problem and would agree with me that this NeoHD is exactly what we need. My husband, who is so picky about electronic gadgets, was so thrilled about this new technology. “We are definitely getting one soon”, he said.
But don’t you know we all have a chance to win a Yamaha NeoHD by simply participating in the Yamaha NeoDH sweepstakes? Joining the sweepstakes is so easy. You can do it by tweeting “I just entered to win a #neoHD because I have too many remotes, visit(http://urlbrief.com/e44caa) to enter”. Or, just visit http://urlbrief.com/e44caa and leave a comment on why you desperately need the new neoHD and if you are going to enter the contest. Check out the details for more options in joining the sweepstakes, take your pick and submit your Yamaha neoHD Sweepstakes Entry. And, don’t forget to join Yamaha on Facebook. I just did!
Before we knew it, summer is over and we haven't really enjoyed the sun enough. Why? Because it's been raining the past days! Poor hubby has been cleaning up the pool every time he gets the chance, desperately hoping water temperature would go up at least to 84F but we're not getting any luck! I have been waiting for the right time when i could get in the pool. It's not worth all the efforts and the money spent maintaining it. Welcome to the pool maintenance club, lol!
Anybody has the best tip on how to parallel park? I am getting frustrated on learning this driving skill(if you wanna call it that way!). I know that my husband is getting frustrated too because it seems that i will never get it. I don't know! No amount of practice seems to be helping! I have been watching a lot of videos online but just watching is a whole lot different from actualy doing it. It seems so easy though but wait till you do it yourself. Oh well, wish me luck friends!
My stomach is so upset, i had to call in sick today. It was so sudden, i don't know what caused it. I had pizza and mashed potato for lunch and went to chinese buffet for dinner. I started to feel the pain even before i had chinese dinner and it continued after the dinner. I usually try not to miss work even if i have migraines but this time, i just can't imagine myself shitting at work! No Shit! LOL!
Don't get me wrong but i am not that affected by his death just like most people including my kids. People all over the world are mourning, even in the Philippines. So many talks, TV shows, and issues that cropped up because of his controversial death. I love his songs and even if he lived a rather "unconventional" life, he was a legend and will also be a legend to the music industry. If we really think about it, MJ, despite his popularity and fame, doesnt seem happy though. It seems that he was mostly a misunderstood person. This is only my opinion. I hope he gets the peace that he deserves, now that he is dead. MJ's songs will always live on......
Famous filipino folk singer Freddie Aguilar has been on a hot seat these days because of his brave comments about Charice and Arnel Pineda of Journey. He said that it would have been better if these singers sang Tagalog songs and have originality and not just sing English songs popularized by foreign singers. Knowing Freddie, who is known for his patriotic songs, I can see where he is coming from. In my own opinion, singing Tagalog songs to foreign audience is not only a measure of being a filipino. I believe being a filipino is in the heart and mind. But of course, this is just my opinion. I love Freddie Aguilar especially his song "Anak" and i respect his opinion. BUT i also love Charice and Arnel and they both make me proud as a filipino.
I missed Michael Jackson's memorial today on TV because i was at work but i had a glimpse of Jennifer Hudson's performance, thanks to You Tube! It was amazing especially when you hear MJ's voice towards the end. Here is the video:
I was boasting about this idea to my husband awhile ago that i know exactly what side of every car has the gas tank on by just looking at the gas gauge on the car's instrument panel. If it is on the left, so is the gas tank filler cap and so on. My husband was amazed believing how observant i am but i told him that i just read about it in one of the forwarded emails i got from someone i dont remember. But i know he did not believe me and promised he would dig depper into this. Well, i just thought about digging more about it myself today and found out it wasn't true, LOL! I read that there is really no consistent relationship between the location of the gas gauge and gas filler nozzle.
I learned that the best way to determine which side of your car has the gas tank on, especially if you're not familiar with the car you're driving, like if you just rented a car, is to check the remote gas door opener and check in the side view mirrors which side popped open, and that's it!
My computer always gets infected with various kinds of viruses and my husband is getting sick fixing it. The last time, he just had to reformat it after spending hours of trying to figure out how to get rid of the virus. I don't know what i am doing wrong. I am trying to be careful but it seems i just don't have any luck when it comes to protecting my pc. We all have the same anti virus programs in all the computers in the house but it is always me who gets these problems. I hate computers but i don't think i can live normally without it!
I have been thinking about starting a simple workout to keep myself fit and healthy, aside of course to lose some of those stubborn fats around the waistline. Oh, those love handles! Well, one day, i started to do some line dancing while following the steps on the video. I picked at least four line dances and each runs for a minimum of 3 minutes. Then i also started to do some simple exercises while i am sittting on my chair or watching TV, like walking, etc. I also bought a jumping rope which i only used once, lol! I did the dancing at least 3 times and the walking two times and that's it, haha! The problem with me is: i don't have the determination to really lose weight. I want to lose weight but i am not so willing to do something about it. I hope i would really think about this so seriously before it's too late.
I wanna share with you a video that i just saw at Face Book which created a big impact on many people who have seen it, including me. This video shows how most of us has taken our children's needs for granted. We just don't realize how badly this has affected our children. We often underestimate the thinking and understanding of a child. We don't know that kids deserve more from us, from this world and from the government. Watch this video so you will understand what i am talking about:
I love Adam Lambert and i truly adore him no matter what! Even if he already admitted publicly that he is gay, confirming a lot of people's speculations about his sexuality, i believe people will still support him for his amazing talent. It may affect a small portion of his followers, especially those who belong to the old school but i think the support of most of his fans will not change. I admire his guts to openly admit it and be true to himself, even before the American Idol finals and that was a big risk he has taken. Here is the interview:
I think it's but normal for us especially those who have been working for like ages, to feel burned out sometimes. I know there are times that we don't feel like getting up for work, am i right? I feel that too. I even hate Sundays now because i know that the next day (Monday), i have to work again. But hey, we have a lot to thank for, being at work. So many people nowadays lose their jobs because of the worsening economy so we are lucky, we are still working. Thanks God! So, love your jobs and give your best, no matter how small a job is!
I was sitting today on the swing at our backyard, just relaxing, when i heard a not so familiar song playing in a school program nearby. That song seems familiar ... and the voice... Then i realized, it was Charice's new single "Note To God". What's wrong with that? Nothing really! I was just surprised how a newly released song easily invaded the foreign market, let alone a song sang by a filipina. Charice has truly succeeded in winning the hearts of Americans, thanks to Oprah and of course to her amazing voice! I just hope that this little girl will continue to shine and keep her feet on the ground.
One of my closest friends Mitch is celebrating her birthday today and i wanna greet her on this special day. I know we haven't chatted nor heard from each other for quite awhile but we both know, we never cease thinking about each other. I think that is the real essence of friendship. Mitsay, i pray for your success always and miss chatting with you. Stay happy my dear friend and God bless!
I have met a lot of my classmates in high school and fiends and relatives who i have not heard from a long time, through Face Book! Amazing, isn't it? I have been with other social networks before but to me, FB is the best. I am not trying to plug this site and i dont get anything from it. I just wanna share it to anyone who wants to get connected with their friends, family and relatives and meet new friends as well. So, anyone with FB account, you can add me up!
Charice sang her first US single, "Note to God" at Oprah today and i'm glad i got to watch it at you tube courtesy of seancarlos24, thanks so much! This was produced by David Foster and written by Diane Warren. Oprah, as usual was amazed by this "little girl's" talent. For those who missed the show, here is the video on Charice's performance.
If you want to get a copy of the song, you can buy it from Amazon or download it from itunes. I'm gonna get mine from itunes now.
I have been inactive from blogging for pay since the start of 2009 and wonder how everyone is doing with their online businesses like blogging? Are you still blogging for pay and if you do, is your earning as much as before? I heard recession has greatly affected even the blogging industry and that is also the reason why i quit. not because i don't have time but because there is no more opps. If there is any, the offer is so low, i just feel its not worth it! I admire those who continue to blog and i heard some really are making so good on it! Good luck friends. I hope you continue to grab more opps and earn more mollah!
Would anyone know where to get the best deal on airfare to the Philippines in December? I have been to every site that i could find on the net but i have no idea which one is reliable. I know December is a peak season so i am expecting it to be higher and that is why i am trying to get the best deal. It's still a long way to go but i am so excited now, just thinking about it. I need to start saving now 'cuz i know it"s gonna be a very expensive vacation.
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