No one expected tropical depression Ondoy (international name : Ketsana) to drop a month’s worth of rainfall in September in the Philippines, in just five hours. According to the newspapers, this was even greater than the Hurricane Katrina rainfall. Lots of families are affected. If you have a burden for the victims – here is a note I’m reposting from one of my Facebook friends:

Philippine peso donations: If you’re unable to go out and buy relief goods for the flood victims, please donate 100 pesos each for Red Cross rescue & relief. To make a donation to Red Cross via SMS: text RED(space)AMOUNT to… 2899 (Globe) or 4483 …(Smart). The service only accepts the following amounts in Php 10, 25, 50 and 10, but you can always resend a new amount after the first donation comes through.

9/28 Update: As of this writing, Globe has waived its transaction fee. Come on, Smart! You can do it too! Bayanihan!

9/29 Update: Smart’s transaction fee is waived!

10/2 Update: Donations via Paypal are temporarily being received at redcross.ph

Repost from Cris Golamco Barancik: Post trauma debriefing orientation for  volunteers who  can provide psychosocial help 4 Ondoy survivors.  9/29 130-330 PM, Ateneo de Manila University Psych Lab, Social Science Building.

For more details, please contact 0905-2708013.

More ways to help:

Map http://www.google.com/landing/typhoon-ondoy.html

Missing people list: http://ateneotaskforceondoy.misa.org.ph/

Also, I have a friend from WA State who is leaving for the Philippines on October 5th. Please let me know if you have any donations for the typhoon victims (hygiene items, vitamin C, etc.) and I will pass it on. She is willing to pick it up from your place if you are in or around the Graham, WA area.  (Don’t want to post her personal info here)

10/7 Update: Long-term aid:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/note.php?note_id=159642454336&id=120255645152&ref=nf

10/8 Update: New Bilibid Prisons Maximum Security inmates skip a meal to donate to Typhoon Ondoy victims.