TRAVELS (and more) WITH CECILIA BRAINARD: Typhoon Haiyan: Northern Cebu Still Needs Help & Israeli Medical Mission in Bogo

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Typhoon Haiyan: Northern Cebu Still Needs Help & Israeli Medical Mission in Bogo

While international attention has focused on the islands of Leyte and Samar, the Northern part of Cebu, which was also in the path of Haiyan and equally devastated, has been largely ignored.

I quote from World News, NBC: "We need help. Any country, we need help, we need your help," said Glenda Despesemento, a local relief coordinator in Bantayan. "Water, especially food, first aid, medicine, clothes – because some of us only have one (set of) clothes."

With the water system destroyed, residents of Bantayan are using a well – boiling the water before they drink it."

As soon as the people from Cebu City, who were not as badly hit by Haiyan, learned that 95% of the Cebuanos from the North lost their homes and possessions, private parties have been distributing much-needed relief goods. Among those who responded quickly were Alay sa Diyos Community, UC, USC, clubs, families and individuals such as Louie Nacorda, Rudy and Louella Alix.

Rudy Alix, from Cebu City, posted in his Facebook site yesterday a list of places in Northern City that are still in "bad shape":

1. Bantayan, Bantayan Island
2. Madridejos, Bantayan Island
3. Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island
4. The islets of Bantayan Island

Alix reported: "There are so many places in Daan Bantayan that haven't been reached by the relief drive. One of them is Sitio Sampero." Rudy Alix suggested bringing 200 to 300 packs of relief goods to those who want to help the people there. "Better still, bring some construction materials."

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There is recent news that a team of 25 Israeli doctors have set up a medical mission in Bogo, Northern Cebu.The doctors reportedly brought their own medicines, equipment, and generator sets, and have set up tents in front of the Severo Verallo hospital in Bogo City.

This may be an aside, but in World War II, the Philippines helped 1,300 Jews escape the Nazis and immigrate to the Philippines. The Filipinos and President Quezon are honored in Israel by an "Open Door" monument in Rishon Lezion Memorial Park just off Tel Aviv, built in 2009.

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Photos courtesy of Rudy Alix and Israel Sun

Read also:
Jews in the Philippines - 1940 and 2013
Philippine town rebuilds after Typhoon Haiyan
The Anderson Cooper, Korina Sanchez, President Aquino Debacle

These links give you the names of organizations helping the victims of Haiyan:
How to help Typhoon Haiyan Survivors
How to help Typhoon victims
How to help: Organizations offering relief to Typhoon Haiyan Survivors

This is all for now this Sunday morning,
Cecilia

tags: Philippines, Haiyan, typhoon, Northern Cebu, Bantayan, Daan Bantayan, Bogo, Israeli mission, Rescue in the Philippines, Jews

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's official website is ceciliabrainarddotcom. She is the award-winning author and editor of 22 books, including When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, The Newspaper Widow, Magdalena, Selected Stories, Vigan and Other Stories, and more. She edited Growing Up Filipino 1, 2, & 3, Fiction by Filipinos in America, Contemporary Fiction by Filipinos in America, and other books.. Her work has been translated into Finnish and Turkish; and many of her stories and articles have been widely anthologized. Cecilia has received many awards, including a California Arts Council Fellowship in Fiction, a Brody Arts Fund Award, a Special Recognition Award for her work dealing with Asian American youths, as well as a Certificate of Recognition from the California State Senate, 21st District, and the Outstanding Individual Award from her birth city, Cebu, Philippines. She has lectured and performed at UCLA, USC, University of Connecticut, University of the Philippines, PEN, Shakespeare & Company in Paris, and many others. She has served in the Board of literary arts groups such as PEN, PAWWA (Pacific Asian American Writers West), among others.