Typhoon Nona has caused the predicted traffic snarls on Metro Manila streets, a minor inconvenience compared to the destruction the typhoon caused in Northern Samar.
Earlier reports predicted that Nona would “skirt” Northern Samar and unleash its fury on the Bicol region. So many were left unprepared, when Nona first made landfall in Northern Samar on Monday. It unleashed its fury, toppling power transmissions, shearing in half broadcast towers, and destroying nearly 65,000 houses.
Most affected are the towns of Lapinig, Gamay, Mapanas, Palapag, Laoang, Pambujan, San Roque, Mondragon, Catarman, Bobon, San Jose, Rosario, Lavezares, Allen, Victoria, and San Isidro.
Five days later, the roads are still undergoing clearing operations from fallen trees and other debris. In a press statement, Northern Samar Governor Jose Ong Jr. described the province as “totally isolated” and lamented the National Government’s “slow response.”
Department of Tourism Region 8 Director Karen Tiopes recently called on kind souls on her Facebook page: “Northern Samar was battered. Many need food and clothing.”
She tells Coconuts Manila, “As per the latest information from local media friends, Northern Samar affected communities need food, clothing, and other basic necessities. Any cash we raise, we will buy assorted items to make into relief/Christmas gift packs. For kids, we can put together school items as their gift packs. For the teens and adults, we are will be giving out personal items packs like towelettes, undies, etc.”
Kind souls can contact the DOT Region 8 office at +63998 8889715 or email them at dotreg8 [at] yahoo [dot] com. People from Metro Manila can have their donations delivered to the Pasay City Tourism Office; its head, George Tiopes, who is her husband, can handle the logistics of delivering the items to the province.
Cash donations can also be deposited to the BPI account of the Department of Tourism Region 8 acount (account number: 4539-0298-22, account name: Ma Regina Apostol).
Photo: Karen Tiopes/Facebook
