verging_on_random

Iloilo woes

Remember Rex? I wrote about him a while back. Here I am with him and his parents:

Rex and his family live in Iloilo, which copped the full force of Typhoon Frank that ripped through the Philippines over the weekend. They have an apartment in Iloilo City, which is on the coast. They are in Jaro - this was it on Saturday:

I’ve only had this message from Rex since then, left offline on Yahoo instant messenger:

rex (23/06/2008 7:34:25 PM): have a flood here in aprtment

rex (23/06/2008 7:34:48 PM): my computeris broken right now

rex (23/06/2008 7:34:51 PM): im here in cafe

rex (23/06/2008 7:35:04 PM): i dont have any dreass

rex (23/06/2008 7:35:15 PM): all my dreass is wet

rex (23/06/2008 7:35:36 PM): and my parents house house in province borken already

rex (23/06/2008 7:35:42 PM): dont have roof

rex (23/06/2008 7:35:53 PM): becos of typhoon

rex (23/06/2008 7:36:07 PM): i relly need your help

rex (23/06/2008 7:36:11 PM): plsss help me

rex (23/06/2008 7:36:38 PM): pls send me some message if read my message

rex (23/06/2008 7:38:45 PM): my computer broken have block out here

rex (23/06/2008 7:38:52 PM): im here in caffe

rex (23/06/2008 7:39:08 PM): ill talk to you soon

rex (23/06/2008 7:39:21 PM): if i can go to caffe

The ironic thing is that Rex was supposed to be here in Australia this week, sussing out study options for next year. Our embassy in Manila refused to give him a visa on the grounds that he couldn’t convince them he would not overstay his visa. Apparently the only way you can get a tourist visa if you are a Filipino is to be married, own your own home and have a few million pesos in term deposits in the Philippines.

Anyway that’s all by the bye for the moment. You’ll see Rex says his parents’ house has lost its roof. The house is directly opposite the school that we gave some help to earlier this year, so I fear the school might be a bit of a mess too. This was no ordinary typhoon damage:

At least 59 people have been killed in the central Philippine province of Iloilo and the death toll could rise further after flash flooding from Typhoon Frank (international codename Fengshen) washed out communities, the local governor said on Sunday.

“Iloilo is like an ocean. This is the worst disaster we have had in our history,” Neil Tupaz told local radio.

Needless to say I’ll be sending as much help as I can, first to my friends and then to the school. If anybody wants to kick in a few dollars that would be much appreciated. I guarantee every cent will get to people who are in desperate need. Send to a St George Bank account, branch number 112-879, account number 057536543, in the name of Kenneth Alan Lovell Raxos Elementary.

UPDATE:

This today (24/6) from Yahoo group LivingInThePhilippines:

14a.

Re: How bad is the damage in Iloilo?

Posted by: “Paul Agey” oneiloilojeepney@yahoo.com.ph   oneiloilojeepney

Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:23 am (PDT)

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Over 70% of the baranguays flooded. It was a flash flood that hit us in the middle of the night with no warning. Over 120 dead as of last report on the radio. 1 of my houses flooded about 2 ft worth and left behind 6 inches of mud for me to clean up, but otherwise undamged thank god. The other house I live in in Lapaz was one of the fortunate few spared this time. Just got power back after 4 days 30 minutes ago. City watermains busted in 2 places with no etr. Bottled drinking water in short supply and supermarket shelves picked bare. My jeepney in lewdesco was flooded to the roof along with many other cars. State of Calamity is how I describe Iloilo right now. Latest estimate is 1,800 familiys displaced and over 500 homes lost that were completely destroyed and about the same number partially damaged. I just hope things get better soon.

Paul in Iloilo