An Email For Donations

An officemate and good friend sent a mass email in our office about his humble drive for donations from friends and other Filipinos out there (or maybe even foreigners) for the casualties of supertyphoon Reming (international name, Durian, and drat, of all names the smelly one).

I read his email and was indeed moved by this effort to help the needy in the "Reming" typhoon aftermath. The hardest hit by the typhoon is Albay, Bicol.

Actually I only knew the extent of damage caused by the typhoon in the Philippines this morning in the morning edition of ChannelNewsAsia while riding a bus to work. Of all news coming from my home nation this is the one that was shown and reported in this country. A ver, very sad news.

I've read his email and told him that I'll help to disseminate this to others, especially to this blog, hopefully some of my friends and other readers will pick this post and see his call for help and donations. He has a non-profit community service back in his hometown Albay, catering especially for the children of his province.

Here's (some parts of) his email:

Hi Kababayans,

Apology for this mass email. I can't help it after hearing from relatives and reading the news on the wake of Supertyphoon "Reming" (see link below). With possibly more than 1,000 people dead, I was shaken and felt the goose bump. "This is worse than Typhoon 'Milenyo' and the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. It killed more people and destroyed more property.

I lived/grew up in Sto. Domingo, Albay. Our town is one of the mudslide-stricken municipalities of Albay province and was hard hit by the typhoon and mudflow. My heart cried for the people of Albay and this is the reason why I am writing this letter and asking for your help. Please click on the charity website below on how you can help and channel your donations (contact tab).

Touch The Hearts (please click)

You can also email at: wsawelfaresociety@yahoo.com

Donations can also be sent to: WSA Welfare Society, Inc. MetroBank Legaspi-Albay Branch 138-3-13811803-8.

The people clamored for basic necessities, such as food, canned goods, rice, noodles and temporary shelter. We look forward to your financial support to see us through this critical times. No amount is too small and all contribution will be highly appreciated.

Read weblink below for some more news:
http://www.inq7.net/specialfeatures/reming

P.S. I have not heard from my family in Sto. Domingo, Albay since Friday since all power lines are down. But I received a text from a family friend in Manila that they are in stable condition.

Best Regards,
Wilfred

Again, may some readers out there hopefully see this and help with any donations you could provide with.

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At the end of the rain, out comes the rainbow. This one I took along the shores of Changi Beach coast, north-eastern part of Singapore.

May the rainbow shine once again for my country. Soon. God bless the Filipinos.

Pacman Gobbled His Opponent

"It only took Manny Pacquiao three rounds to prove himself the stronger, faster fighter..." - this came from the article featured in HBO and all I could say is amen to that. Pacman has already proven himself in terms of skill and prowess, knocking down previous opponents like a raging pit bull. This afternoon, I had received two text (SMS in Singaporean lingo) messages from relatives abroad breaking the news of Manny winning his fight over Morales within 3 rounds only. Ah, the news made me smile all right, oblivious of the quizzical looks from the people around me while we were inside the MRT train.

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Meanwhile...

I was checking with other online news here, such as Channel NewsAsia, if they've picked up the news of Manny's winning the boxing match. Apparently the site did not mention anything about it. I even checked on their (apparently) latest news tab for (supposedly) recent events that happened in Asia (ehem, isn't the site named Channel NewsAsia?). I checked out their Sport section for any news about the fight, but alas, even this section did not anything about it. I've even used the site's search option and - tadah - as expected no Manny Pacquiao fights mentioned. The only Philippine related news to be cited is that of Imelda Marcos launching her (infamous) fashion collection to her "fellow Filipino". It's not interesting news at all, if you ask me. Who cares about her jewelries and stuffs (non-Filipinos I assume, or those who still have affinity with Madam Imelda Marcos). What the Philippines wants is justice and reparation for the damages done during the Marcos regime.

Bear with me here. I still flip out when other foreigners still know little of the Philippines (which they sometimes they fondly call as "Manila" as if it is a registered name for a country). Or that we once ruled by a dictator they knew only as "Marcos". Or that we had a movie actor for a president. Or... whatever...

Banda Fantastika Event

I had a great time with fellow officemates as we enjoyed listening to some featured Filipino bands playing at Gashaus Music Cafe (there were 9 bands overall, but I only started to watch at the time when my friends and their bands started their turn on the stage).

And here are some pictures during the event:

Launchbox band. Fellow officemates Ivan playing the bass guitar (left) and Titan playing the electric guitar (right). You should already be familiar with their band since I posted about them at this post.

Close up of guest vocalist Jolly, and Titan jamming it up at his electric guitar. You know what, I should be getting some payment for advertising their band here. Joke, hehehe.

Ok, some guy went in front of the stage and began to dance like a "high" or drunken person. But gyrated all over the place, and yet everyone loved his antics. Soon other people joined in the craze - jumping, head-banging, and going around in circles with each other.

There are lots of other people taking pictures during the event. I caught these two at one corner of the jam-packed room: an unidentified guy pointing his camera at the audience (back) and Ardi (front), another officemate, filming Launchbox's gig (FYI: Ardi is Indonesian; I was amazed that he can sometimes converse and even playfully joke with us in Tagalog).

Here is another band, Mr. Brosnan?, a Filipino modern rock band. I liked their performance of Radiohead's High & Dry.

Another Filipino band, rending popular foreign and local songs acoustic style, Quiverpool.

Titan has his own band too, Backwater. One memorable song played by the band is Hole's Malibu.

The rambunctious Pinoy crowd truly enjoying their gimmick from three in the afternoon till late at night. Every time a band ends their music, everyone could hear from this group a girl shouting, "I love you Jobert (or Yobert?)" with a quick reply "May asawa na yan" (That guy is already married) or "Kanina pa iyan ah..." (roughly translated: You've just said it a while ago...). Ah, the Filipino crowds - always know how to have a good time.

Other Filipino people crowding the stairs and surrounding the bar area. Everyone's keen on listening to good rock songs both in English and Tagalog. The most memorable songs played during the night were "Noypi" by Bamboo and "The Ordertaker" by Parokya ni Edgar. Especially the latter song, where every Filipino individual who were enticed and caught by the funny lyrics of Parokya ni Edgar sang along with the band that belted this song. I saw two British (or American?) guys at the stairs who at first thought the music being played is Chop Suey by System of a Down (since The Ordertaker is a local spoof of that English rock song). When both guys suddenly heard different lyrics coming from the band, they looked at each other with astonishment, whilst every Pinoy individual were shouting, singing and laughing along with the music. Then they saw some Filipinos converging in front of the stage and began to mosh around, head bang, with some playfully taking off their shirts like street loosed drunks. They began taking pictures of the happy riot, obviously enjoying at how Filipinos really dig the bands and explode in delightful frenzy.

Keith, the owner and manager of the place, responded well on "how good the bands are that night" and everyone is enjoying their stay. If he only knew well enough, and other Singaporeans, that Filipinos are known for music, talented singers, and excellent local bands. The Philippines has a very rich culture when it comes to music and entertainment. And (ehem), we can sing English songs quite eloquently.

And here's a complimentary short video of Launchbox, playing "Ligaya", originally sang by the Eraserheads.