I know this is a gaming-blog and everything in between, but I just have to post this. I've been tinkering my other blog so until it's still broken (I forgot what "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" meant). Anyway, here goes.

Maybe I haven't introduced myself properly before: I live in the Philippines, an archipelago in South East Asia, and 2 days ago we were hit by a terrible storm known locally as Ondoy (international name: Ketsana). Long story short, a month's worth of rain poured down in less than a day. Estimates say that the amount of rain was double the amount from Katrina (455mm vs 250). According to officials, this was one of the worst flooding experienced in the country since the 1960s.

As of this writing, more than a hundred were killed (and counting) and 340,000 displaced. As you already know, I am a game developer for a company based in Manila. Most of my colleagues live in the city, and some of them couldn't make it to work due to floods in and around their homes. I was commuting back home when the storm hit; I got stuck inside the bus for 7 hours, but thankfully it was a safe (though boring) ride. Some people got off the bus to walk, just to get to their families.



I saw a couple of minors walking, never minding the danger ahead.



I got home at around 12mn Sunday. I listened to the news (cable was cut) and heard of ongoing rescue operations around the city. The entire National Capital Region and the provinces around it were put under the State of Calamity. Dozens of non-government organizations have pledged their support in assisting the needy, and I know more will pledge theirs in the coming days.

I didn't know that in the my lifetime I will be this affected by a storm. I usually just laugh it off or worse, thank the heavens for not sending me to school/work for another day. This time it's different.


Anyway, if any of you would like to donate and a portion of the thousands of Filipinos affected by Ondoy, you can send whatever amount you want, however small, to this link (Paypal): http://barriosiete.com/donate-for-ondoy-victims/ (Barrio Bayanihan for Ondoy Victims). Or here: http://www.redcross.org.ph/Site/PNRC/wtd.aspx (Philippine National Red Cross)

Thanks for the time to read this, and let's hope for a better tomorrow for some of my countrymen.



PS. This was done by my 4-y/o cousin yesterday; their house was one of the hundreds outside our subdivision affected by the storm.



(Caption: "Their house")