Typhoon Odette Relief Fund for Panala-an, NEG.OR

Edna Suarez is organizing this fundraiser.

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Last week Typhoon Rai, known to Philippine locals as Typhoon Odette, hit my hometown of Bais City, in the Negros Oriental region of Central Visayas, along with many other regions in the country. This was a category 5 super typhoon that devastated communities, leaving people homeless with no food or clean drinking water.

Currently, there are non-profit organizations and government groups administering aid to the survivors of the typhoon, but the aid has been slow and limited, especially in the more remote areas of Bais City and the neighboring barangays (districts). Roads are still covered with mud and debris so access to relief goods is constrained for the folks in the mountains. I grew up in the mountains of the Panala-an barangay right next to Bais City where our family lived for generations.

We still have my grandparents and aunt and uncle living in the mountains of Panala-an. Thankfully, they were not as badly affected by the Typhoon, but so many of their neighbors were left homeless with nothing to eat or drink. I have been in contact with many of the community members there, purchasing and coordinating food and water distribution to the survivors, but there’s simply too many people to help, and not enough resources.

I would like to continue purchasing food, water, clothing and baby supplies and get these relief goods to the community up in the mountains, but I seek your financial support so that I am able to buy more goods for distribution.

I will be sending the money to my sister, Edlyn Cortes, in another province so that she can transfer the money domestically to our friend, Lolit Lumaba in Bais City, and my Auntie Ally Balbuena in Dumaguete to purchase the supplies, coordinate with the survivors in Panala-an and deliver the supplies to the farthest point they can transport them.

I am budgeting approximately $25 CAD (1000 Pesos) per family and up to 100 families (for now) for essential supplies, along with transportation costs to Panala-an. With no road access for supplies, and inability to work, I urgently seek your assistance during this tragic time in my home province.

Thank you for your support. Stay safe during the holiday season.