The deadliest earthquake in 23 years struck the Philippines on October 15, 2013, at 8:12 am with a magnitude at the epicenter recorded at 7.2 which devastated the whole Central Visayas region, particularly Bohol and Cebu, two of the most beautiful provinces Filipinos are very proud of. Casualties and damages were recorded, lost of lives and properties were deduced into numbers, including 10 heritage churches. Through it all, the unfathomable Filipino Spirit rose above the situation armed with hope, prayers and love for each other.
Barely recovered from the earthquake, another calamity hit the country! On November 7, 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda (International: Haiyan), in its peak intensity of 10-minute sustained wind of 235 km/hr made a landfall in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It is said to be one of the strongest land falling tropical cyclones on record based on wind speed alone. It battered, almost crippled and wiped out everything and everyone it passed by as it traversed our beloved Visayas region. In Luzon, we heard its howling and felt its robust, gusty wind. We prayed... unceasingly.
The loss and woes... were deafening. Everything was down, all supplies were out... food, water, clothes, shelter, power, communication, transportation. Survivors on barefoot were seen rummaging through remnants for whatever comfort they could get. Torment. Despair. Looting... Anarchy! Those not affected could only imagine...
The multimedia reports could no more"hyperbolize" what was already superlatively amplified but a few ingenious ones still managed "insertions and omissions" to distort facts, however good the intention may be...
read here. It is true that help and encouragement were badly needed by the Filipinos but misinformation was not one of them. Responsible social media sharing, in the same manner as mainstream news reporting, must be observed at all times... most especially if you were in a position to influence opinions. Even a seemingly innocent "misquote" that was misleading, added insult to injury to those who only had hope left in them.
Please, do not satirize or even dramatize the suffering of your own people!
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| Photo credit: Val Rodriguez, Philippine Star |
Many are not satisfied with the response of the Philippine Government, but financial aids are on its way from many allied countries and local sources. It is not the time to point fingers... but rather to hold hands in action and prayers... as we Filipinos say it...
"Kapit-bisig, magkakapatid!" literally, it means
"Link arms, brothers and sisters!" symbolically, it's the Filipino Spirit fusing together as one in hope, faith and love.
"But when you give to the needy,
do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
so that your giving may be in secret.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you." ~ Matthew 6:3-4
To send in donations:
1. Philippine Red Cross -
http://www.redcross.org.ph/donate
2. Caritas -
http://www.caritas.org.ph/direckdonation.php
3. DSWD -
http://disaster.dswd.gov.ph/donate/donate-online/
4. Gawad Kalinga -
http://gk1world.com/give
5. Kapuso Foundation -
http://www.gmanetwork.com/kapusofoundation/donation
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