August 11, 2012
Source: Inquirer
Heroes and volunteers. Rescue teams, police and hospital workers went above and beyond the call of duty to come to the aid of those in need, logging in long hours and setting aside their own comforts and event safety to serve other people. Volunteers wasted no time, springing to action even as the disaster was still unfolding. They braved the strong rain and the flooded streets to get to relief centers, to cook meals, to pack goods, to get people to safety, to let the hapless know they weren’t forgotten. Those who couldn’t leave their homes raided their closets and pantries for things they could donate and used the Internet to disseminate important information. Donations have been given and pledges have been made even by people outside the country. We wish we had all their names so we could honor them. They are all heroes.
The Filipino Spirit. It really is unsinkable.
Twitter. The social networking site played an important role in relief and rescue efforts during the disaster. Because of Twitter, people were alerted, prodded to help; they knew where to go, where to send relief goods, who to rescue and which roads were flooded. There is a lot of power in 140 characters.
Eco-friendly relief. There’s a more conscious effort now to make sure that the relief goods sent out are eco-friendly. People are trying to use biodegradable or reusable bags for packing goods. A lot have also chosen to pledge Binalot meals (visit http://binalot.multiply.com/collection/7/BINALOT-Pledges). Providing relief for those affected by the flood is a great thing. But we also need to do everything we can to avoid another disaster–and one step is not adding to our country’s already big garbage problem.
