Helping Rebuild Northern Iloilo - Our Typhoon Yolanda Aid Story

It's been two months since Typhoon Haiyan (Philippine name Yolanda) struck the Visayas area of the Philippines. Some of the hardest hit areas are in Northern Iloilo composed of Estancia, Batad, Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, Carles and Concepcion. Public structures were destroyed, homes were flattened, livelihood were lost, and some lives perished during and after the storm. 


I had been busy with work, family matters and our donation drives, I hadn't had the time to post our relief initiatives here in my blog. I'm posting it here now for the benefit of my online (and offline) friends who contributed to our relief/donation drives. Friends from Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Australia, schoolmates from Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, and parents and students from Twin Star Learning Center - Talisay contributed to our donation drive.

Our first fund drive was done immediately after November 8. We were able to collect donated food products, used clothing and some cash. All these amounted to around P30,000.00 (US $714), both cash and goods. These were forwarded to an academic institution here in Iloilo who conducted several relief operations to the areas of Carles and Ajuy. 

My friend Denel helped me bring the
donated goods to Iloilo City.

We brought the goods to UP Visayas in Iloilo City.
 UPV facilitated collection of donations and brought them
to the disaster-stricken areas. Shown here are UPV employees busy
repacking donated rice and other food stuff.

Twin Star Learning Center students with their donations.

Some of the donations were brought to ABS-CBN
Sagip Kapamilya in Bacolod City. 

Our second fund drive was launched on the 4th week of November. The purpose was to raise cash to be donated to some beneficiaries in Brgy. Bagongon, Concepcion, Iloilo. Brgy. Bagongon is an island barangay, about 45-minute boat ride from the mainland of the municipality of Concepcion. Relief efforts seldom reach the island. Cash donations were raised so that the beneficiaries could buy construction materials to rebuild their homes. We were able to raise P15,000 (US $360). This amount was able to help around 7 families. The said baranggay has an estimated 400 households. This means, a lot of them still needs help.

This is Mrs. Catherine Buenafe. She is one of our
Yolanda cash aid beneficiary from Brgy. Bagongon, Concepcion.

We are launching this third fund drive so that we can help more families rebuild their homes. I know that most of us have already donated. Government efforts are also being directed to the affected areas. However, these efforts may not reach some areas like Brgy. Bagongon because of their distant proximity to the nearest relief centers/operations. We are doing our best to fill this gap. Please help us help them. 

Here is a short video/slideshow prepared by my niece Jeana Maeve Yandog. She helped me piece this together so I will have something to use for this campaign. The photos were taken by my husband Jonathan at the disaster area. I was most especially touched by the photo of the young girl clutching a teddy bear. After all, I am a mother.

If you wish to donate, you can do so through my gofundme page at http://www.gofundme.com/5d0qv8. Donations through Paypal and major credit cards are accepted there.