Xwind almost dying due to floods of typhoon Seniang (dashboard lights flashing and brakes automatically locking in…ang hirap ng electricals ng ‘matic talaga)! Gasp, two new wheels for xwind (there goes my Christmas moneys)! Start of the winding government transaction for property transfer (there goes my Christmas bonuses). Arrival of Tita Grace. Angie’s baptism in Q.C. Wax-bonding with Julia J! Finishing up Christmas shopping and wrapping of gifts (not necessarily mine as I’m already broke with house/vehicles upkeep). Institutional and office Christmas parties.  Argee’s baptism in Dagupan, Pangasinan (one day travel to and from with xwind overheating, radiator’s reserve water drying up).  Blossoming love lives of Bets and JM (yihee J). Almost ran over a kid — he suddenly darted across the street while I was passing by; thank goodness for good brakes.

I recently had xwind tuned-up; but with a long drive coming up (Manila-Dagupan, Pangasinan and back) and not having time/money for another casa visit, I took my chance to go to cRapide.  I asked the people there tighten xwind’s fanbelt (I felt it kinda loose and I noticed may negligible noise coming from that portion), check all liquids, and check the brakes.  The mechanic was kind naman and immediately tighten the fan belt and checked all the liquids; however, the shop manager went on with the usual cRapide litany of me needing to change xwind’s this and that, have this and that service done; even boasting that they have lifetime warranty for their brake pads and all.  When the itemized break down was printed, I was bowled over with the expected expense — to think the casa didn’t say anything about what the cRapide shop manager said I ‘needed’ for xwind.  Then this:

Ria: Dyoshkopo, ang mahal naman!

Shop Manager: Atenista ka po, ma’am?

Ria: Huh?! (thought bubble: wala namang tinge of any ‘Atenean’ yung xwind…then after looking around, I notice I was wearing pala my old dark AHRC shirt with a small print saying Ateneo Human Rights Center — a typical dress down wear when I expect some grime)

Shop Manager: Ma’am Atenista naman kayo, e di siguradong kayang-kaya n’yo yan.  ‘Di ba ang mahal nga ng tuition sa Ateneo? Maliit lang yung *amount* kumpara sa tuition dun!

Ria: Hindi ko nga kaya yung *amount*. Ang mahal.  Hay, kaya ko nga gustong matututo maging mekaniko eh.

Shop Manager: Aba, unusual ah.  Madumi.

Mayabang, mayaman, sosyal — what gives?  Patawa na eh. Mas ganun pa nga siguro people from other schools, but why immediately put us in this pedestal or categorize us this certain box? Too much!

yes, i’ve posted similar solicitations before, but time is of the essence here…many lives in reming-affected areas are suffering; let us extend our help to them…

Office of University Development & Alumni Relations <slb@slb.ph> wrote:

SIMBAHANG LINGKOD NG BAYAN (SLB) and Ateneo de Manila Disaster Response and Management (DREAM) TeamAGAP BIKOL extended

Reports from Civil Defense Officials as of

December 6, 2006

-  526 dead mostly around Mayon volcano and another 740 missing
-  1.54 million people affected nearly 83,000 of whom sought refuge at evacuation centers
-  More than 250,000 damaged houses and damage to buildings, infrastructure and agriculture placed at P1.6 billion
-  Power facilities in Albay valued at about P200 million destroyed and power restoration may take more than six (6) months (Albay Electric Coop)

Relief and Rehabilitation Program
-  P100,000.00 relief fund personally released to Fr. Jovic Lobrigo (Diocese of Legaspi Social Action Center Director) who visited SLB Office last December 4
-  P50,000.00 rehabilitation fund released through Ateneo de Naga University’s Center for Community Development headed by Mr. Nono Sto. Domingo
-  Initial construction materials purchased to be shuttled to Naga December 6 evening due to reports of shortage in construction supplies
-  SLB-ADMU Dream Team Batch 1 leaving December 6 evening for Naga operations.  Batch 2 leaving December 7 evening for Albay operations.
-  Team of Professional Psychologists from various institutions (ADMU, DLSU, UGAT Foundation and CLC, among others) formed for Psycho-Social interventions as per request of the Diocese of Legaspi.  Program will start December 7.
-  Various goods being collected to be shuttled to Albay.

NEEDED:
-   Volunteers for goods repacking.  Details, as follows:
       o   December 8 (Friday)

8:00 p.m.

       o          o   -   Trucks for shuttling goods and construction materials
-   Construction materials (G.I. Sheets, Plywood, Nails and other basics)
-   Medicines for cough, colds and fever and surgical mask
-   More food, preferably canned goods and noodles
-   More funds

DONATION MECHANISM
=====================

GOODS
–———-
You may directly donate the goods to the Cervini (Male Residence Hall) Function Room at the back of Church of the Gesu.  Temporary AGAP BIKOL Relief Operation center can accept donation from

9:00 a.m.

to

12:00

midnight

.  Contact person is Residence Hall Director Tim Gabuna.  You may communicate with him through 426-6001 local 5902. 

Priority:  Food (Canned Goods, Noodles and other kinds with long shelf life) and Water

CASH/CHECK
–——————-

Direct deposits (online from any of the BPI branches) may be made to:

SIMBAHANG LINGKOD NG BAYAN (Account Name/Payee)
Bank of the Philippine

Islands

(Loyola-Katipunan Branch)
BPI Peso Checking Account Number 3081-1111-61
BPI Dollar Savings Account Number 3084-0420-12

For proper acknowledgment:
-   Please fax a copy of the validated deposit slip to SLB through telefax 426-5968
-   Kindly indicate contact information:  Name, Address, Email,

Mobile

-   Those who wish to remain anonymous may skip this procedure

Or you may send it to

Loyola House of Studies (LHS)
Ateneo de Manila University

Loyola

Heights

,

Quezon City

Telephone Number 426-6101
Time:

6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Official Receipts will be immediately issued to you by the LHS Lobby Porter.

For dollar remittances:
-   You may purchase a Manager’s Check and send it via any courier to SLB’s address OR
-   Course it via telegraphic transfer to BPI Dollar Account

Should there be any concerns, please contact:

MS. MARJORIE TEJADA
Telephone Number 426-6101 local 3440 (Office Hours)
Telefax 426-5968
Email: slb@slb.ph

MR. RC BATAC
SLB Project Officer for Socio-Economic Development
Mobile 0921-3509565
Email: rc2_adnu@atenista.netContact Person: Franco Soberano (0917-6442626) or Cervini Director Tim Gabuna (Tel. 426-6001 local 5900)
Cervini Function Room (ADMU Male Residence Hall) back of Church of the Gesu

hail to the new chief justice of the supreme court of the philippines!

(many thanks to jm and kiko of the PIO)

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: manoling francisco <manolingf@yahoo. com>
Date: Dec 6, 2006 12:38 AM
Subject: AGAP-BIKOL: PLEASE PASS TO YOUR FRIENDS IN THE U.S.A.

Dear Friends,

Last Nov. 30, 2006, a supertyphoon Reming ravaged the
Bikol Region and Southern Tagalog, Philippines. More
than 400 people have already been buried; hundreds
more are missing. The death toll, according to the Red
Cross, will most likely exceed 1,000. Moreover, 10,000
families have been dislocated, their homes and fields
buried under tons of mud from the slopes of the Mayon
volcano. The thousands who have been dispossessed are
temporarily sheltered in evacuation centers.

The evacuees are in need of food, clothing, medicines.
They have lost loved ones; for many everything they
own. We beg for your financial assistance.

For those in the U.S., please address and send your
checks to:
Fr. Peter Pojol, S.J.
Hopkins House
40 Kirkland St. Cambridge, MA 02138-2031
As checks will be addressed to an individual, Fr.
Peter, and not to a non-profit institution in the
U.S., please do not issue a check for tax deduction
purposes. However, rest assured that every dollar you
send will go directly to the evacuees in Bikol.

Together with the Filipino graduate students in the
Boston area, Fr. Peter will account and remit the
donations to:
Fr. Jovic E. Lobrigo
Chair, Social Action Center
Diocese of Legazpi
Albay District, 4500 Legazpi City, Philippines

Fr. Jovic, who is representing the Diocese of Legazpi,
is working closely with the Local Government Units in
Bikol, Ateneo de Naga University, Simbahang Lingkod ng
Bayan, the Tanging Yaman Foundation, Inc., among
others.

As with our past fund-raising email campaigns (for the
typhoon victims in Bikol and Infanta, Quezon in 2004
during which we raised P755,508.80 and for the
mudslide victims of Guinsaugon, Leyte in 2005 during
which we raised $10,893.43), the Tanging Yaman
Foundation, Inc., will email all the donors:
1) a master list of donations received, and
2) an electronic receipt from Fr. Lobrigo,
in order to assure you that all that you give will go
to the intended beneficiaries.

As we await the coming of our Lord this Advent Season,
may the more than 40,000 dispossessed in Bikol
encounter the mercy of God through the compassion and
aid of people from all over the world.

Sincerely in our Lord,

Fr. Manoling V. Francisco, S.J.
Executive Director
Tanging Yaman Foundation, Inc.

San Jose Major Seminary
Ateneo de Manila University
Loyola Hieghts, Q.C., M.M.
Philippines

SIMBAHANG LINGKOD NG BAYAN (SLB) and ADMU Disaster Response and Management (DREAM) Team support

Ateneo de Naga University’s (ADNU) “AGAP BIKOL” relief operations

Reports as of December 2, 2006

-         Death toll at 388 with ongoing recovery expecting the estimated number to rise (Red Cross)
-         About 10,000 houses in Bikol and Southern Tagalog were either blown or damaged (Inquirer)
-         Mudflows affected  barangays in Daraga and Sto. Domingo in Albay (viz., Balibago, Culiat, Busay, Binitayan and Cagsawa)
-         Thousands are now housed in various evacuation centers

Planned Relief and Rehabilitation Program:
-         Goods will be shuttled by Aboitiz 2GO directly to the affected areas
-         Fund will be channeled through ADNU’s AGAP BIKOL Campaign and the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Legaspi headed by Director Fr. Jovic assisted by Fr. Rex Arjona who are both Josefinos (Alumni of San Jose Seminary, ADMU)
-         SLB and ADMU contingent will go to Bikol this weekend (leaving December 7 Thursday night) to assist in the relief operations.  (For interested parties, please contact OSCI Head Ann Manapat at telephone number 426-6001 local 5090/5091 during office hours)/
-         A second meeting will be conducted after the first operation to plan a long-term assistance.  Initial talks have been made with Alumni, GK and other concerned parties.

DONATION MECHANISM
=====================

GOODS
————
You may directly donate the goods to the Cervini (Male Residence Hall) Function Room at the back of Church of the Gesu.  Temporary AGAP BIKOL Relief Operation center can accept donation from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight beginning tonight up to December 7 (Thursday).  Contact person is Residence Hall Director Tim Gabuna.  You may communicate with him through 426-6001 local 5905. 

Priority:  Food (Canned Goods, Noodles and other kinds with long shelf life) and Water

CASH/CHECK
———————-

Direct deposits (online from any of the BPI branches) may be made to:

SIMBAHANG LINGKOD NG BAYAN (Account Name/Payee)
Bank of the Philippine Islands (Loyola-Katipunan Branch)
BPI Peso Checking Account Number 3081-1111-61
BPI Dollar Savings Account Number 3084-0420-12

For proper acknowledgment:
-         Please fax a copy of the validated deposit slip to SLB through telefax 426-5968
-         Kindly indicate contact information:  Name, Address, Email, Mobile
-         Those who wish to remain anonymous may skip this procedure

Or you may send it to

Loyola House of Studies (LHS)
Ateneo de Manila University
Loyola Heights , Quezon City
Telephone Number 426-6101
Time: 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (starting today up to December 7/Thursday 8:00pm )

Official Receipts will be immediately issued to you by the LHS Lobby Porter.

Should there be any concerns, please contact:

MS. MARJORIE TEJADA
Telephone Number 426-6101 local 3440 (Office Hours)
Telefax 426-5968

it’s just tonight that i got to watch the news regarding the devastation caused by typhoon reming and the current hardships of our people in albay and catanduanes… the scenes just moved me to tears. 

to think, i initially tuned in just for the subic rape case decision.

here i was, very happy that the typhoon did not directly hit metro manila and our still-a-bit-dripping-back-roof-gutter; yet, a lot of people are in despair due to dead family members, missing friends, and destroyed property. 

here i was, minding my holiday shopping last weekend; yet, a lot of people there were (and still are) problematic over the most basic necessities. 

shame on me for being oblivious.

so what’s next, ria? 

…everyone?

Typhoon Reming. Horribly weak due flu-like symptoms for almost the entire of last week. Repertory

Philippines

’ The Sound of Music. Bazaars, Greenhills, malls. Lola Bets’ death anniversary. Arrival of Tita Grace from

Romania

. St. Scho’s 100^th year. A huge nail punctured xwind’s right rear tire. SC Christmas Party and retirement of CJ Arpang. Congratulations on the scholarship, Win2x!

http://www.redcross.org.ph/