FMPI News

UPDATE ON DSMMRI/FMPI TYPHOON AND FLOOD RELIEF DISTRIBUTION

Typhoon “Ondoy (Ketsana)” hit the Philippine area of responsibility Friday, September 25, 2009. Saturday, September 26, was a day that most Filipinos and us Marikina residents, will not forget. The houses and the shelters of the middle-class residents such as the Provident Village, the working-class residents and the poor residents of the depressed low-lying areas of Marikina City were all submerged in deep, rampaging and murky floodwaters.

In Marikina City, hardest hit were the depressed areas of Tumana, Purok 6, Purok 7, Malanday, Balubad and other residential and business areas of the metropolis including Lamuan where the Philippine Headquarters is located.

On Saturday mid-afternoon, water climbed over dikes surrounding the nearby Marikina River. At around 3:00pm, a torrent of water, 6 feet high, was pounding through. At 4:00pm, the water rose to 10 feet high and practically covered all the streets in Marikina City. In some villages, the water rose to 20 feet high. Cars parked in the streets slammed against each other as each is carried away by the strong flood current. Furniture and household appliances such as refrigerators, beds, televisions sets, kitchen’s wares float above the floodwaters.

The Philippine Headquarters served as an evacuation center to neighbors. Men tied ropes from their residences to the headquarters’ gate so that they can swim across to safety. Men on the headquarters’ side placed an improvised wooden stairway so that they can reach the roof of the building and escape the fury of the rampaging floodwaters. In a matter of minutes, the second floor of the headquarters’ building was already filled with evacuees because the ground floor was already filled with water. In fact, cars parked in the garage were all submerged in water.

The second floor of the building was virtually an evacuation center for almost 200 men, women and children for the whole Saturday night until the following day, Sunday. In the afternoon, when there was no more threat of another flood, the people went back to their houses to find out that their houses were covered in three - feet deep mud.

Marikina was a very pathetic sight! To date, the calamity victims are still in the middle of bringing their lives to normalcy. Words and pictures cannot do justice to the sad plight of the victims and its surroundings. Some families are in a state of mourning due to the untimely deaths of family members because of typhoon “Ondoy”.

The once-busy-sprawling business district of Marikina was reduced to a virtual ghost-town. Several business establishments remain close since being trashed by flood. There was a great loss of money and business resources. Vehicles displayed at a car dealer’s showroom were soaked in mud and floodwater. Traces of floodwater are very visible on concrete walls of houses and buildings. Streets are littered with stinking garbage drenched in mud. Marikina has never seen such debris in so many years. Conscientiously, it will take a long while before Marikina shall be restored and rebuilt.

For us here at the Philippine Headquarters of DSMMRI spared by the flood, we are fortunate to be a blessing to the people in our community by providing them shelter and food during the typhoon. We continue to extend the grace and mercy that we received by extending whatever help we can afford to give to the unfortunate typhoon victims.

The following day after the typhoon, I immediately sought the assistance of our leaders in Phoenix, Arizona to assist the typhoon and flood victims in their struggle to survive.

I am very grateful that our leaders have responded immediately to my appeal. Apostle Don and Brenda Stewart were the first to give, followed by Larry Mackay, Dr. Daniel Daves, Lon Taylor and Feed My People UK.

Likewise, other partners of the ministry in the USA like Denise Wyatt, Reena Castro, Pastors Amante & Ludy Costales and even Pas. Linda Santos in Kuwait sent also their generous contribution.

DSM Canada headed by Rev. Ping and Nida Alba also sent a generous financial contribution.

I am very grateful also to our MLFI local churches that sent their generous cash and gifts-in-kind donations like our churches in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan and La Union headed by their Sectional Supervisor, Rev. Ben Sibulboro.

The Philippine Diabetes Research and Nutrition Center, Inc. (PDRNCI) headed by Rev. Edwin Pena also gave a generous cash donation.

We also received lots of gifts-in-kind donations in the form of rice, groceries and clothing from our churches in Marulas, Valenzuela City and in Divisoria and also from other local partners in the ministry like Elaine Pena and Abet and Lolit Torano, and cash donation from Babes Mallari, Allan Dario and Ivy Damiotan.

The MLFI church in Marikina committed to donate all their income from tithes and offerings for the month of October to be able to buy more food items and cooking utensils for the flood victims.

Thus, in October 4, there was a distribution of relief goods at the Brenda Stewart Center to initially one hundred (110) families. Aware that there is no electricity in these areas, it was decided upon that food and other basic necessities are the priority. Rice, canned goods, cup noodles as well as clothing, kitchen utensils, sleeping mats and even gas stoves were distributed.

Last Sunday, October 11, there was another distribution of relief goods to another 100 families that were not accommodated in the first distribution.

But our distribution does not end here. As long as donations continue to come in, we will not hesitate to give these away. Succeeding distributions will continue.

The need is still immense and urgent! Medical care is a priority item after the flood.

We are now planning to hold a free medical clinic to the typhoon and flood victims. There are two medical doctors who have committed to handle the medical program. One of them is a pediatrician.

All these became and will become possible because of your help. You can help the people some more.

Many still need food, clothing and household items. Likewise, we are looking into a rehabilitation program that would help the typhoon and flood victims recover and improve their situation.

David B. Dario
DSMMRI/FMPI