Thursday, November 14, 2013

Project Hygiene Kit for Yolanda Victims

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another” -Charles Dickens


The devastation caused by the typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) has affected not only a few cities and houses in the Philippines but the majority of the Visayas region where the death counts has now reached thousands and number of families affected now millions.

A conscious effort is now being undertaken by the Davao Bloggers Society to join the relief operations by raising a total of P100,000.00 to finance and produce 1,000 hygiene packs for the victims. Each kit costing to PHP100 or USD2.50 will contain toiletries and other essentials good for one week's use by one person. Hygiene kits were chosen to be donated as this is something that is not yet prioritized by many donors.



If you wish to help or join the campaign, you may donate in cash (please seal in envelope) or in kind (preferably hygiene products found in the photo) to:

Mam Bebs Bakery
CVA Building, CM Recto Street, Davao City
(fronting City Triangle, adjacent to Ateneo Claveria Gate)
Mondays- Fridays, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

You may also send via PayPal to merchant@alleba.com



You may share a note of encouragement or positivism in your donation. We will be be more than happy to include that inside the kit.

Pledges for donation may as well be coursed through any member of the Davao Bloggers Society until December 7, 2013. Feel free to contact bloggersforreliefPH@gmail.com or Chamee at (+63) 9324364187 for all your inquiries and questions.

Please also help us disseminate this information to those who are willing to help and contribute. You may share or link this post to your social media accounts with hashtags #bloggersforReliefPH #YolandaPH


Bangon, Pilipinas!


Monday, November 11, 2013

Hopes Post- Yolanda and for My Country Philippines


Note: If you wanted to get in touch with groups or organizations to help, send supplies or donate cash or in kind, please check this link compiled by my blogger friends. If it is not so much, please share this link to your social media handles so that others will also be informed.



On the 8th of November this year, the strongest typhoon recorded in the history of manind (so far) hit the islands in the Visayas region of Philippines. At around six in the morning the same day, I received a notification in my mobile phone from our co-employee based in Tacloban informing us of the heavy downpour of rains in their area but electricity and network coverage was still okay. By the time I get to read her email, all the electrical power lines were cut-off in Tacloban while flying debris from houses and buildings were also being shown in the news clip in the television. I never heard anything from my friend not until yesterday through a short call from a phone that she probably borrowed.

A streak of hope and positivism for my fellow Filipinos. Light shines brightest at the dark.
The internet was also flooded with updates and news about the extent of damage and the many efforts to help reach out to the victims. The sad part is that this flood of information also included stories that make the situation worse.

  • People blatantly saying that they were GLAD THAT IT HAPPENED claiming that the VICTIMS DESERVED THE PAIN. It did not end with postings of people who apparently lack the sense of symbiosis but also, to my opinion, “kulang sa pansin” (attention-seeking). They continue to justify that they are entitled to their opinion and they should not be condemned.
  • While help is pouring even from our international counterparts, QUESTIONS ON FAIR DISTRIBUTION became a trending topic in the internet.  As the country now also fights one of the biggest expose in corruption of the Pork Barrel, people asks whether the billions of donations from other countries reach the victims or will the culture of corruption reign even at this devastating incident.
  • POLITICIANS as well as other NARCISSISTS bragging about their contributions, counting what they donated and using this incident to campaign for elections if not, simply brag.
  • HEADLINES OF PEOPLE LOOTING from stores and even from relief operation vehicles clearly describes that the human system is now operating in a survival instinct to feed and protect oneself and their families.
  • SECTORS REFUSING TO HELP people not coming from their sect also raised many eyebrows in the social media walls. If this is true or not, the fact the people START TO DIVIDE INSTEAD OF WORKING IN SOLIDARITY is as obvious as the lack of unity killing more people each day.


I would agree that the Filipino spirit is waterproof, storm-proof and that even a super typhoon cannot break it but it many instances, while many are trying their best to help, some cannot really resists to be self-centered, tactless and destructive. I would like to tell myself that perhaps, these people lack self-esteem that they needed to put somebody down just to feel good or catch any attention, even the negative attention, just to feel they exist. I do not like to believe that they lack souls but I also do not choose to be of very sympathetic to these selfish people right now.

I’d like to hope that the donations will be coursed through organizations that are focused to aiding the victims and assure the relief will reach those who needed it most. While I am still trying to convince myself that the current government is trying their best to remove corruption in the system, I’d prefer that other countries would course though their help to reliable organizations that will have no personal gain when helping the victims. While we lack time to debate or argue, others are already moving so let us go with the actions flowing.

Let us also avoid re-affirming these people with publicity (even negative) because it is exactly what they want and rewarding them with attention cookies will only promote them to repetitively do what they do. Collective effort creates an impact. Surely, reposting what they did, even for the purpose of putting them to shame, will not really put them in shame. They will only get that 30-second fame that they wanted. Don’t reward them and see their negative actions disappear in the middle of the generosity and kind-heartedness of other people.

While the news of looting and refusing to help other to protect their own maybe expected, it is still a sad reality to hear and raises an alarm to immediately send in help so that people will not be pushed back to the wall with this choice nor will it marginalize those in the hard-to-reach area. When survival is at stake, we cannot really expect a high rate of selflessness. No parent in their right mind would sacrifice the life of their children just to do the morally-correct act when stealing or refusing to share is the only way to survive.


I may not be in the best position to fully explain the psychology of what happened with my fellow countrymen but my humanness is calling me to be more human than ever. Today, may we choose to help and help without expecting anything in return. May we choose to lift other people up, and shun away from the negative stories that will not help make the lives of the victims better. May we choose to salute those who put their hearts and minds to contribute in helping in with fund and donations drive. May we choose to learn from this tragedy, to be more prepared, to avoid the mistakes that sacrificed many lives and may we choose to remember that we do not forget.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Miss Universe Updates


As you may have already watched in your live streaming, the Miss Universe pageant is currently being held in Moscow, Russia. The first cut included the top 16 candidates where the final slot given to the Social Media candidate. Did any of your favorites got it?
  1. Costa Rica
  2. Ukraine
  3. China
  4. Ecuador
  5. Great Britain
  6.  Indonesia
  7. Venezuela
  8. Dominican Republic
  9. Puerto Rico
  10. Spain
  11. USA
  12. Nicaragua
  13. Switzerland
  14. India
  15. Brazil
  16. Philippines (Social Media Candidate)

Should I be surprised by Philippines, being the social media capital of the world, getting the spot for the social media candidate? The telecast continued with some back stage clips and the later, the introduction of judges which included Steven Tyler of Aerosmith who is also one of the performers for the night. 

For those who were following updates in the website of Miss Universe 2013, you may have known that Miss Nicaragua won the Best in National Costume Award together with the other top five contestants  (for this category) that include: Japan, Indonesia, Russia and, Trinidad and Tobago. A short clip was also shown to present the winners during the pre-pageant judging.

Can you imagine walking in this outfit? Bow to Ms. Nicaragua!
Photo courtesy of  missuniverse.com

Did you hear the crowd for Miss Philippines? I can feel the tension even just from watching TV! And now in, the top 10 finalist:

  1. Spain
  2. Philippines
  3. Great Britain
  4. India
  5. Brazil
  6. USA
  7. Ukraine
  8. Ecuador
  9. Venezuela
  10. Dominican Republic 

Will the crown remain with USA? Or will other countries snatch it with their beauty and wit as the long gown and the interview portion followed? However, let's reserve the thrill later as we enjoy the series of presentations and av-clips for the evening.

Now, here is the result for the Top 5:


  1. Ecuador
  2. Brazil
  3. Spain
  4. Philippines
  5. Venezuela
Miss Philippines in her long gown....Not my favorite look for the night though :(
Photo from pinoyrepublic.net

For the first time, the contestants will answer the interview questions immediately after the announcement of the finalist! Here are the Q& A portion of the pageant:


ECUADOR
Q: What would happen to the world if we could no longer use the internet?

A: I believe that computers itself as well as technologies nowadays, has its advantages and disadvantages. And one of the disadvantages is that we are no longer as close together with our families. I would like to use this moment to tell teenagers and everybody that we should use the methodology of computers and internet for....way. It’s never too late to start, let us start right now.


BRAZIL
Q: What is your opinion on places that do not allow women to do things such as travel aboard, vote or drive cars?

A: In my opinion, we as women achieved our independence through time. Unfortunately, nowadays we still have some problems with our independence as women but we need to keep our open minds, because nowadays, we are home-makers, we are out there in the workforce, in my country we have a female president. We are capable of everything. 



SPAIN
Q: What the most significant thing we can do we can help women elect more women to political offices around the world?

A: I believe in order to select a good woman she must possess the good qualities in order to perform a good job. Discipline, ...how to adapt herself, how to respond, her work her performance, and fulfilling her job.


PHILIPPINES
Q: Can be done with the lack of jobs for young people starting their careers around the world?

A: For the people who have lack of jobs, I do believe that we people should invest in education (that is my primary advocacy) because if every one of us is educated and well-aware of what we are doing, we could land into jobs, we could land good careers in the future. So education is a primary source and a ticket for a better future.


VENEZUELA
Q: What is your biggest fear and how do you plan to overcome it?

A: I believe that I might have al lot of fears but nonetheless, this is nothing negative. I believe we should overcome all our fears and this in turn will make us much stronger and thus we can become stronger persons. As soon as we overcome our fears and we are sure of ourselves, we can face any challenges.


AND THE BIG RESULTS!

4th Runner Up: Brazil
3rd Runner Up: Philippines
2nd Runner Up: Ecuador
1st Runner Up: Spain
Miss Universe 2013: Venezuela, Gabriela Isler


The new Queen of the Universe from Venezuela.
Photo: AFP, Alexander Nemenov
Congrats to all the girls! You are all pretty and winners!