Almost a week after typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) ravaged the country, many Filipinos are yet homeless because floodwaters remained stagnant and some places cannot be reached by vehicles due to waist level flooding.

Below are photos of homes of sponsored children that were destroyed in the flooding:

Manila and surrounding areas were lashed with heavy rains for nine hours last Saturday, leading to flash floods that inundated about 80 percent of the capital of more than 12 million inhabitants. It is said that a total of 686,699 people are now staying in 726 evacuation centers. It is also said Ondoy’s death toll has reached 277 and 42 with still missing. The number of people affected by the storm has climbed to 2.5 million people, the council said, up nearly 300,000 from the previous day's estimate.    

Classes in all levels of education are suspended for a week because schools are being used as evacuation centers and most places are still without electricity.  In evacuation centers water and electric services are not available and victims have no food to eat because they have lost personal belongings.  They are still stranded and cannot go out to work. 

In F. Bautista, Valenzuela (PHMA), the surroundings are full of garbage and waste.  There is an  immense foul odor due to decomposing dead.  Staff members visited the area to bring assistance, however, but they could not enter places of the sponsored families because after 3 days of flooding the streets are not passable due to a thick volume of mud left along the way after the flood subsided. The assistance was distributed inside the car parked beside the national road.   In Tambunting (TG) area they were also under water though it is not like the other area because the flood was only knee-high; but the strong winds damaged the roofs of houses. In Maypajo, Caloocan (MO), the floods reached up to chest level so they evacuated to the 2nd floor of their house. Those who do not have 2nd floors moved to higher areas or stayed with neighbors who have taller houses.   

The assistance needed for the victims of this calamity are the following; House repair, food, clothing, blanket, galvanized irons, kitchen utensils, and medicines (for cough and colds, diarrhea, skin disease ointments, pneumonia, antibiotics, etc.). If possible, life jackets for F. Bautista, Valenzuela (PHMA) area since they are always prone to deep flooding every time there is a typhoon.

Children of Promise, Church of God Ministries, and Women of the Church of God are appealing to our sponsors, donors, and churches for donations of funds for emergency relief for The Philippines immediately.  Funds given through Children of Promise must be used for assistance to sponsored children and their families.  (We are only able to receive monetary donations.)

Donations may be made through Children of Promise in the following ways:

a.  Check sent to P. O. Box 2316, Anderson, IN 46018 indicating emergency relief for The Philippines.

b.  Credit or debit card donation via the online donation form on the Children of Promise website. Under Fund, select Emergency Fund, and in the comment box, write “Emergency relief for The Philippines.”

c.  Credit or debit card donations will also be accepted over the phone in our office:
Phones:   1-800-848-2464 (ext. 2190) or 1-765-648-2190.  
 
Click here to view an album of additional photos from the devastation wreaked by Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy).