The Filipina Mom in Denmark

I arrived in the Philippines during the election day which the only son the late President Corazon Aquino won and in just few hours he will be sworned into office and I want to join my fellow Filipinos asking the next president improve the lives of millions of OFW’s who are hailed as the new heroes (Ang Bagong Bayani) because of their remittances that keep the Philippines economy afloat.

I’m a true blooded product of OFW my parents has been sending remittances for almost 30 years and after working for more than 25 years my father received his pension for just 1 year he suddenly died and he did not enjoyed the fruit of his labor so to speak and my mother did not received any compensation at all. The remittance we received went to college tuition and other expenses . We became degree holders, 3 engineers and 1 dentist but my mother sometimes complain why we followed their footsteps by working abroad when they sacrificed all those years away from us just to provide us a good future by finishing our education. I also asked myself that question why?

After college graduation we were very idealistic we don’t want to go abroad because we are working but after few years working hard just to pay our bills but we still depended on our parents remittances to make ends met, our salary can not provide us with life our parents gave us. My brother who has 2 children at that time blindly joined my parents and is working not as a dentist but in a restaurant although he has the possibility to practice over there he don’t have the time to go to the language school. Now he also go to the bank every month to send his hard earned money to his family and I asked him if he is happy with that, he said yes and no. He’s happy that he can send his children to college and can afford to buy what he wants. Thanks to the modern devices he can chat or talk with his family unlike during my parents time we only relied only by snail mail. But will his children will also follow suit yes maybe if the government will not improved.

I’ve been staying in the Philippines for almost 7 weeks now and I’m too sad to say it became worst pollution, undisciplined drivers, stop lights that don’t work, poverty anywhere, they say it’s cheap it wasn’t,  common commodities ar so expensive. Everywhere I go there is an SM (Shoe Mart Department store) why? because of millions OFW’s who’s family can now eat in Jollibee and buy in the department store. Excuse me, but having the biggest mall in Asia doesn’t mean we are the best or our economy is better. Because every hard earned money is spent without thinking of the future. Maybe you will say it provide jobs to degree holders who can not find any real job so they end up promo personnels in the department stores just ask how much they earn and we all know that the businessmen are profiting from the contractual basis employment.

This should only a short post but it’s really disappointing to see all the college graduates seeking  greener pasture abroad to the point that they are willing to work as a domestic helpers or au pairs or doctors studying to become nurse so they can work abroad speaking of brain drain. I don’t have anything against domestic helpers its a noble job we are losing valuable  resources now its the right time for the new goverment to act and reevaluate its policies and focus more on the long term. We can’t stop migration it’s embedded in our blood.

So I support and join fellow Overseas Filipino Worlwide in their plea to the incoming President.

Dear Sen. Aquino,
First and foremost, we extend our deepest and sincerest congratulations on your ascendancy to the highest-elected office of our beloved country through a democratic process that every Filipino can take pride in for many generations to come. The first step inherent in the process of transformation is recognizing the need for change – and our capacity to change for the better! Thus, from this point onward, we are hopeful that inspired by your convincing victory and leadership, every Filipino will assume his or her role and responsibility to change the status quo by initiating positive changes towards a better and brighter Philippines, no matter where he or she is, and regardless of what citizenship he or she now holds.
We, the Overseas Filipinos Worldwide (OFW), are a group of Filipinos based abroad and in the Philippines, representing various organizations implementing projects in the Philippines and in our host countries for many years now that are aimed to strategically harness the Philippines’ migration gains into mechanisms for the development of the motherland and our communities of origin.
Migration gains are mainly remittances by overseas Filipinos to their family members, which are now in the region of USD17 billion and are the primary source of livelihood for millions of Philippine households. At 10.8% of the country’s GDP, they are also the third biggest source of the country’s foreign currency reserves and act as primary driver for our economy, shielding us from bankruptcy during the financial crisis in 1997 and the current one. The Filipino diaspora, estimated now at about 10 million working or residing in 239 countries and territories worldwide, send back donations to various humanitarian causes, such as disaster–relief, medical missions, schoolhouses, and other infrastructure. These contributions supplement local and national government deficits and, as of 2003, have already amounted to USD218 million, per BSP figures in that year. We do not count here the investments made by OFWs in real estate and the education and health of their family members, and the money spent on various goods and services, as well as on construction, food, shelter, and other inflows that support sectors like the airlines, shopping centers, and banks. Yet, after more than three decades of overseas employment, we do not see genuine signs of poverty alleviation, and instead more and more of our countrymen leave for work abroad.

Ironically, the Philippine model of overseas migration has become a model of sorts, for other migrant-origin countries to emulate and even copy. This however does not tell the whole story or reveal the other face of migration that has escaped the serious attention of past administrations, specifically, the social costs that migration has bred since government-managed deployment started in the early 70s and up to the present, where we now see at least 3,000 of many of the best and brightest Filipinos leaving daily to take up jobs overseas, due to local employment deficits. Other nations like South Korea, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, and Taiwan, who once were labor exporting countries, have been able to get over their migration hump, as a result of their governments’ consciously harnessing their workers’ remittances and investing them to develop local infrastructure, shipyards, factories, and other industries. Convinced of the effectiveness of government programs and also trustful of their leaders’ sincerity, these countries’ expatriates and overseas workers, at great sacrifice, left their high-paying jobs overseas and returned to their home countries to lend their talents and acquired expertise in further helping their respective country’s leap towards developed status even working at low salaries. India, another migrant-sending country, is also now going in that direction. These examples serve to illustrate the dictum that migration should be temporary, that it must not be used as a substitute for development. The desirable goal of countries wishing to be strong and globally competitive must necessarily be self-sufficiency and the ability to provide its people with necessary components needed for their human development.
The advent of a new administration, especially one under your inspired leadership, is a good time to ask where the Philippines is going regarding migration, and to act accordingly. Shall we continue to send out our people and rely on remittances and without any development objectives in sight? Conversely, don’t we have the talent to formulate a road map towards self-sufficiency over a period of time, in order that the hemorrhage of talents could be stopped, that a crisis in our dysfunctional families and society at large could be averted, and so that our people do not have to take migration as a forced option? If long-term migration goals are set now, the government could in the meantime work on some basic but urgent deployment and migration issues in order to clear the way towards having a genuine and serious program on translating migration gains for use in human development. In view of this, we humbly suggest starting to look at the following:

• The government must send clear and strong signals that migration and remittances are only temporary measures to help the government prepare for a longer-term goal of self sufficiency, in which Filipinos no longer look at migration as a forced option. This must be integrated in Medium-Term Development Plans, which is currently being formulated by NEDA, and which should also include how in the meantime strategies, policies, and mechanisms for the productive use and investment of remittances could be harnessed to strengthen the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals.

• Create a position for a Special Presidential Adviser on Migration and Development, who will work with a technical working group (TWG) composed of qualified individuals who have a background in migration and development, including knowledgeable and committed migrant leaders. Among others, the TWG could conduct studies, consultations, and discussions, and come up with updated situationers and appropriate policy recommendations on how to effectively translate remittances and migrant resources to develop local economies; and to address social costs, facilitation of return migration, reintegration, mechanisms for the counterparting of funds between Filipino diaspora groups, LGUs, and development agencies for local and countryside development, incentives for OFW investments in agriculture, SME, infrastructure, microfinance, cooperatives, and other sectors that need stronger funding support. The work could take the form of draft legislation for study by Congress’s standing committee on OFWs or form the basis for an Executive or Administrative Order, whichever is appropriate or workable. The committee’s work shall be purely consultative and should not supplant the work of government migration agencies.

• Review and monitor the performance of government agencies in charge of migrant workers, such as the POEA, OWWA, CFO, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, with a view to strengthening these institutions, reducing wasteful and ineffective programs or duplication of work, giving agencies needed resources and funds for effective implementation of programs, and strengthening the capacity of their overseas offices to become centers of service to migrant workers overseas.

• · Departing OFWs contribute USD25 each as a requirement for departure and membership in OWWA and entitlement of welfare benefits. The total corpus of this trust fund is already at the level of at least PHP10 billion. The disposition and administration of this fund has been subject of criticisms, as its use has not been transparent and shown susceptibility to mismanagement. Specifically, reforms in OWWA should (1) impose strict criteria in the process of selection of people who will sit in the Board of Trustees, such that only those qualified and are committed to work for their constituents are appointed, e.g., women OFWs, sea-based, land-based, etc. (2) OWWA proceedings should be made transparent and open to public scrutiny, particularly the investment of the trust funds. (3) the incoming administration, for the benefit of OFWs and through the working group, should require from the current OWWA board an accounting of OWWA funds and how they were invested/used. To this end, the most recent COA audit of migration agencies, like POEA, OWWA, DFA, and POLO offices overseas, must be consulted.

• The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) are two small agencies that are doing important work on mobilizing diaspora contributions for development and assistance to OFWs who are reintegrating to Philippine society after working abroad. The CFO, for instance, has submitted recommendations on how gaps and barriers to enhanced diaspora contributions could be addressed, but these have never been acted upon. The NRCO, in the three years it has been created, has given assistance and referrals on livelihood and employment to OFW returnees affected by the global crisis. Their work should be seriously looked into, and whenever necessary, the appropriate level of funds, resources, and support should be given to these agencies.

• Lack of financial literacy or of the ability to use resources and incomes productively and wisely has been highlighted as a major cultural barrier among not only OFWs but also for most Filipinos. It prevents our people from improving their socio-economic conditions, despite years of employment in the Philippines or overseas. This refers to lack of savings or investment mindset and excessive spending on non-essentials. No less than an institutionalized nationwide program on financial literacy will be able to address this and should include not only OFWs but also members of their family. The BSP has been the lead government agency that has conducted financial literacy seminars for OFWs and families since 2006 in more than 30 Philippine cities and 10 cities overseas. This program could be improved and expanded through an impact assessment of the campaign and which might include providing resources for enlisting the DECS to include financial literacy and migration as part of school curriculum, starting from grade school, or the LGUs, by including financial literacy and social costs of migration in the Pre-employment Orientation Seminars (PEOS) conducted in their territories for intending migrants.

As a final note, while the recommendations above address specific OFW issues, the programs you had avowed to pursue in your electoral campaign on good governance—better access to health, education, employment and livelihood, and business opportunities for all—are all in the right track, constitute the basic elements for self-sufficiency, and provide viable options to our citizens to remain in the country and to devote their talents and resources to developing the homeland. On these, please be assured of our continued support.

Signed:

Doris Alfafara, Habagat Foundation, The Netherlands
Ren Arrieta, USA
Alex Veloso Bello, Saudi Arabia
Marvin Bionat, USA
Ding Bagasao, Economic Resource Center for Overseas Filipinos (ERCOF), Philippines
Jack Catarata, Germany
Basco Fernandez, Damayang Pilipino sa Nederland, The Netherlands
Lorna Lardizabal Dietz
Cristina Liamzon, Italy
Judith Puyat-Magnaye, USA
Mariel Vincent Rapisura, SEDPI Philippines
Leila Rispens-Noel, Wimler Partnership for Social Progress, Hongkong/Contact Person
Dennis Yaun, Luxembourg
James Zamora, Philippines

This was posted in Facebook and in this website Overseas Filipinos Worldwide

Youth Vårsalong is Denmark’s largest art exhibition for young people. The Copenhagen City is agin hosting the exhibit and this year’s theme is titled “What I dream about”. Well, it’s interesting to see the young artist visualize their dream into various art expression modes like photographs, films, sculptures, and many many more.

Come and see the dreams of the young artists whose 220 art works were selected by a professional panel of judges among the hundreds of submitted works. The art exhibit will be opened by the Child and Youth Mayor Anne Vang.

We, are proud to announce that the Babaylan Denmark’s illustrator and cartoonist is chosen for two consecutive years to be part of this big exhibit form April 29 to 8th of May 2010 in Copenhagen City Hall and subseqently in the city hall of City Hall of Malmø in Sweden

Prior to the exhibition, a private viewing on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 17.00-19.00 hr will be held for the artists together with their parents, families and friends.

Among the 200 young artists from around, Copenhagen, Århus, Odense, Esbjerg, Aalborg & Malmø, Muir was lucky to get her chance again to participate in the yearly exhibition.

The artist impression of herself

Muir Jover is the daughter of the current Babaylan Denmark’s Chairperson, Juvy Jover.

For more information, please visit http://www.ungdomsskolen.kk.dk

Here are the list of church services I gathered in Norway and in Denmark who offer mass/church service in English.

image source: www.i-heart-god.com

Catholic Church

Oslo

St. Olav’s Cathedral
Every Sunday English Masses at 1800H

Address: Akersveien 1, 0177 Oslo
Contact Person: Rev. Fr. Amando Bergantino Alfaro Jr. and Ms. Elizabeth Helland (Church Secretary)

Contact No.: +47 2321 9573, +47 2298 2165 and + 47 9940 5608 (Mobile)

St. Joseph’s Church
Every Sunday English Masses at 0930H Every 4th Sunday of the Month: 1400H (Tagalog Mass)
Every Friday: 1800H (Tagalog Mass)

Address: Akersveien 4, 0177 Oslo
Contact Person: Rev. Fr. Redentor M. Molina
Contact No.: +47 9986 4952

Copenhagen:

Skt. Annæ’s Church
Saturday and Sunday English Masses at 1700H

Address: Skt. Elizabeth’s Allé 2, 2300 Kbh. , Denmark

Contact Person: Fr. Benny Mathew,C.Ss.R
Contact No.: +45 – 2193 4215 (Mobile)
e-Mail: bennycssr@hotmail.com
Chaplain for the Filipino Community: Fr. Joe Toms, C.Ss.R.
Contact No.: +45 5322 5232 (mobile)
e-Mail: joetoms77@ymail.com

How to get there: take 5 A from the city and get down in Tycho Brahes Alle note is already Zone 3 so it’s better stand up in Englandsvej busstop which is still zone 1 and walk around 100 meters ahead or take 3500S and go down in Englandsvej)

Sakramentskirken
Wednesday English Mass& Novena at 1700H

Address: Nørrebrogade 27C, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
Contact Person 1: Fr.Reinhold Sahner
Contact No.:+45 3535 6825 (fastnet)
e-Mail: sakramentskirken@mail-telia.dk
How to get there: Take bus no. 5A and go down in Ravnsborgade Busstop.

Sunday English Mass 1800H

Contact Person 2: Fr. Carroll Parker, Omi
Contact No.: +45 3125 5996 (Mobile)
e-Mail: carroll.parker@mail.dk

Vor Frue Kirken in Herlev
Thursday English Mass at 0930H and Sunday English Mass at 1130H

Address: Herlevgårdsvej 14, 2730 Herlev
Contact Person: Fr. Carroll Parker, Omi
Contact No.: +45 3125 5996 (Mobile)
e-Mail: carroll.parker@mail.dk

St. Knud Lavard’s Church
Sunday English Mass at 1300H

Address: Lyngbygårdsvej 1A, 2800 Lyngby
Contact Person: Fr. Alren Soosaipillai, OMI
Office tel nr: 45 87 08 88
Contact No: 50 15 52 26
e-Mail: alrenomi@gmail.com

Jesus is Lord

Oslo

Jesus is Lord Norway
Every Sunday: 1530H – 1800H
Every Thursday: 1800H – 2100H

Address: American Lutheran Church, Fritznersgate 15, 0264 Oslo
Contact Person: Pastor Gilbert Palmero
Contact No.: +47 9528-2491
e-Mail: jilnorwaychapter@hotmail.com

Copenhagen

Jesus is Lord Copenhagen
Every Sunday: 1445H – 1700H

Address: Allehelgens Kirke 43, Ungarnsgade 2300, Kbh S
Contact Person: Pastor Precy Soltes-Ofori
Contact No.: +45 3123 9778 and +45 3646 3113
website: www.jesusislordchurch.dk

Living World Bible Center

Living World Bible Cente

Every Sunday: 1500H – 1730H

Address: Geitmyrsveien 7D 0107 Oslo
Contact Person: Pastor Vic del Valle and Sis. Ana del Valle
Contact No.: + 47 4023 0603 and + 47 4024 9524
e-Mail: livingwordbiblecenter@yahoo.com

Filipino Christian Church

Oslo

Filipino Christian Church Norway
Every Sunday: 1400H – 1700H

Address: Filadelfia Center St. Olavsgate
Contact Person: Pastor John Angeles
Contact No.: +47 6084 3667
e-Mail: jpa4569@yahoo.com

Copenhagen:

Filipino Christian Church Copenhagen
Every Sunday: 1730H – 2030H

Address: Culture Hall/Kultur Sal, Drejervej 15-21,2400 Copenhagen NV
Contact Person: Pastor Raymond Osias
Contact No.: +45 2692 9314
Website: www.fcccommunities.com

Iglesia ni Cristo 1

Copenhagen:

Filipino Christian Church Copenhagen
Every Sunday: 1730H – 2030H

Iglesia ni Cristo
Every Thursday: 1900Hpm-2000H ;Every Sunday: 1000H – 1100H

Address: Brønshøjvej 12, 2700 København
Contact Person: Rossal Kiilerich
Contact No.: +45 41233679
e-mail: divinekiilerich@yahoo.com

Workship services are both conducted in English

Copenhagen Community Church (CCC)

Copenhagen:

Copenhagen Community Church
Sundays: 1100H – 1300H

Norre Farimagsgade 45
1364 Copenhagen K

People’s Power Revolution is also known as Edsa Revolution or  Edsa 1.

February 25, 1986 I was at home in the province while my father was listening to the radio 24 hours a day hoping and praying that the revolution will turn into a peaceful one. I was 4th year high school student time at that time nearing the final exam  and graduation was set to end of March. There was some kind of uncertainty that something will bad will happened just seeing those battalion of soldiers being called for reinforcement and the tanks make you feel like there will be a lot of casualties but thank God it was peaceful, the Marcoses fled the country together with General Ver.  I used to think I belong to the People’s power generation entering the college with a pocketful of dream and hope for a better future.

I vaguely remember the martial law but there something about curfew so I’m glad that because of people power revolution I was able to go home late at night without any hassles after partying/disco opps no I usually took night classes.

After 24 years I still think that it was the best thing that happened in my home country because we will not her writing or expressing our opinions if we are under military government. The Philippines politics maybe had changed, from 2 party system to multi party system or the idealism but the politician are still the same or should I say the same political clans are still in the limelight even the Marcoses are back which maybe might hinder our dream of experiencing the true meaning democracy but we should not give up.

I’m proud to be a Filipino even though I live in Denmark because of this 1986 People’s Power Revolution was the inspiration behind the toppling down of communistic dictators in Eastern Europe and the fall of the Berlin Wall and even the orange revolution in Ukraine.

Whenever I read news or forums the Filipinos are forever blaming the goverment for poverty because of corruption which I agree but let us not forget that once upon a time 24 years ago we were or I should say our parents at that time risked their lives against the dictator and by hearing and seeing it once again the oneness and the intensity of prayer and faith, we will think twice when we go to cast our vote in May.The Philippines is still young democracy compared to the European States even Denmark it took them several centuries before attaining what they have today. Thank you Ninoy, thank you Cory and the Filipinos who believed in miracles. God Bless the Philippines.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010 (English)

GODT NYT ÅR (Danish)

MALIGAYANG BAGONG TAON (Filipino)

¡Feliz año nuevo! (Spanish)

VIVAY BALUN TAON (Panggasinan)

Happy new year to all. When I was young we used to greet the new year by jumping when the clock turns to 0.00 hoping we will be taller but now when I turned 30 I lost hope I can’t grow taller anymore. In the Philippines we celebrate with new year with alot of superstitions and these are the ones I grew up with:

1. having 12 round fruits (round symbolizes coins means prosperity-money)
2. have a lot of coins in your pockets (again means prosperity)
3. make ube halaya- cake (kind of root crops with violet color)-(means prosperity because before the highest denomination is 100 pesos and it is violet)
4. Wear clothes with circles the bigger the better
5. We used to make a Palitaw (floating rice cakes)  kind of rice flour mixed with water and mold into ovals and put in the biling ixed of water,crushed sesamse seeds and sugar and when the clock strikes o:00 it should floats (it means luck and prosperity you are always on top )
6. Played the radio the loudest
7. Gathers all kind of metals like the covers of pots and tin pails and everything that can make noise (I think to drive bad vibes or spirits away)
8. We prepare a lot of foods for the noche buena (midnight dinner)
9. Go to mass before midnight around 10pm
10. Fireworks

And here it my collection of fireworks in my media collections.

Happy new year!!!!

This year all souls day will be  very painful for me and the rest of my family last year blog about remembering our dead not knowing just a few days my grandmother will past away on the 4h of November and later this june her son my father folowwed her. My father even went home to the Philippines to attend the funeral service of my grandmother and just as he came back in Madrid he was diagnosed with head tumor. It’s too much to take in just 7 months.

I did not saw my grandfather my on my father’s side but I can clearly remember we used to  visit his grave every November 1 in the cemetery just beside the beach. That’s only the time to see my father’s relative and that’s the only time for us young ones to get to know them since they leave in other cities. We waited until the big dragon candles my uncle used to bring form Manila the one you can buy in the Chinatown. Before November 1 I barely can remeber that there are padasal or prayers by our parish priest who go around and ask for the names of the dead family members and sometime a group of elders who prayed in latin well I don’t know it anybody still can pray in latin on our place.

Now it my time to light a  candle for tatay, my inang, my amang , my lolo on my mother’s side , all my relatives and all the victims of the recent typhoons  and at the same say a prayer that their soul may rest in peace.

During calamity people from all walks of life are willing to offer their help by any means  but there also heartless people who lured people for financial help but it doesn’t go to the victims but to their own pocket. So very careful to send money check it out first especially when it is thru money transfer. Even legitimateorganizations and foundations became victims of these scams like the GMA Kapuso foundation where a woman from the Philippines unsuccessful money transfer to the legitimate bank account received an email telling her to send it to another account which afterwards she found out it was a bogus. You can watch the imbestigador at GMA 7 investigates deceits and fraud in this area.

But deceits in bank transfer doesn’t happens only in the Philippines but a big problem around the world so be very careful like my bank always reminds of fishing of personal information which we constantly receives in our mail asking us to send information about our account. NEVER answer or click the links they send to you even if it looks like credible source always check from your bank.

I several emails from the embassies regarding donation advisory which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent out to different embassies worldwide.

NDCC Donated Funds

Current Account (Philippine Peso) #0-00149-435-3
(Swift Code: DBPHPHMM Account #36002016)
Development Bank of the Philippines
Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo Branch
Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City
Philippines

NDCC updates can be accessed click here

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Top

DSWD

Contact Persons: Imee Rose Castillo / Rey Martija
00632 9318101 loc. 506-507 / 9517119

US Dollar
DSWD Foreign Donations
Account Number: 3124-0055-81
ZIP Address: TLBPPHMMXXX
LBP Batasan Branch
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

Philippine Peso
Account Number: 3122-1011-84
LBP Batasan Branch
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

Philippine National Red Cross

For donations to be acknowledged, please fax bank transaction slips to (632) 5255654 or (632) 4040979 with donor’s name, address and contact numbers.

US Dollar
The Philippine National Red Cross
Account Number: 151-2-151-00218-2
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM
Metrobank Port Area Branch
Anda Circle, Port Area, Manila

The Philippine National Red Cross
Account Number: 81140030-94
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM
BPI United Nations Branch
Ermita, Manila

Philippine Peso
The Philippine National Red Cross
Account Number: 151-3-041-63122-8-MBTC
Metrobank Port Area Branch
Anda Circle, Port Area, Manila

The Philippine National Red Cross
Account Number: 4991-0010-99
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM
BPI United Nations Branch
Ermita, Manila

Other Queries and Donations

NDCC (Relief Goods / Rehabilitation Equipment)

Maj. General Glenn J. Rabonza
NDCC Administrator
Attn: Engr. Florentino Sison
Deputy Chief, Operations Division
Tel: (632) 9125979, (632) 9122665
Fax: (632) 9111873, (632) 9111406, (632) 9125668, (632) 9120984

Department of Health (Medicines and /or Medical and Humanitarian Missions)

Dr. Virginia Ala
Chief, Bureau of International Health Cooperation
Department of Health
Attn: Ms. Noni Balbino
Chief, Technical Division
Tel: (632) 7812843
Fax: (632) 7818843

DSWD (Relief Goods)

DSWD Donation Drop Off Points

Pasay Area
National Resource Operation Centre
Chapel Road, Pasay City
Attn: Mrs. Francia Fabian
Tel: (632) 8528081 / (63) 9189302356

Quezon City Area
Disaster Resource Operations Monitoring and Information Centre (DROMIC)
DSWD Central Office
Attn: Rey Martiga or Imee Rose Castillo
Tel: (632) 9517119 / (632) 9517435
or Assistant Secretary Vilma Cabrera
Tel: (63) 9189345625

Manila Area
DSWD-NCR
San Rafael corner Legarda Street
Quiapo, Manila
Attn: Director Delia Bawan
Tel: (632) 7348622 / ((632) 7348642

The Philippine embassy in Sweden accepts donations for the Typhoon Ondoy victims which they will send to the DSWD that Dept. of Social Welfare and Development they are also asking for medicines etc., visit their website for details. Embassy in Sweden jurisdiction are  Sweden,Latvia, Estonia & Finland.

While the embassy in Norway jurisdiction are Denmark, Norway and Iceland their website is  www. philembassy.no

The Philippine Embassy in London also accepts donations contact them or visit their website http://philembassy-uk.org/news_advisory.html#page12 for details.

You can check the Philippine embassies in your area for more information. Visit the Department of Foreign Affairs homepage to check your local embassy’s information at http://dfa.gov.ph/?page_id=74.

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I’m terribly saddened by the flooding of almost 80% of Metro Manila and nearby provinces even I experienced more than a dozen of almost 2 meters floods during the 28 years of my life in the Philippines but nothing can compares to the devastation of typhoon Ondoy.

The Filipinos are resilient just like the bamboo tree and you can still see they smile in the midst of their life’s tragedy but at the end of the day they will realize they lose their homes and love on ones it’s really tragic. But we can help them to help them to stand on their feet but donating to authorized agencies  but if we can’t help them financially we can help by reciting this prayer from Fr. Stephen Cuyos.

I know most Pinoy bloggers have already posted about the typhoon but I want to make this prayer as a tag to reach out as much as possible. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t catholic just revise the prayer according to your faith.

You just copy the prayer and tag your friends as many as you want and just mention where you got the tag from and then inform your friend that you tag them.

Fr. Stephen Cuyos of Happy Faith started this prayer and I also post it to my Facebook wall. I will tag the following Marlene, Mom for a Cause, Maricris, Amor,Bing Sitoy, Mel, Rolly & Mathie Banaga

Prayer for the victims of the typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana)

Loving Father, you are our shelter and our hope. We come to you with hearts full of trust in your love and mercy.

We pray for the victims of tropical storm Ondoy. May those who have lost homes and properties find shelter, enough food and clean water. Comfort those who are traumatized and those who are grieving for the loss of their families, neighbors and friends. Bless those who are sick and those who are injured that their health may be restored and their wounds cured. May you lead all who are stranded or lost back to those who love them. Guide the hands of the rescuers, the doctors and nurses and other volunteers and give them strength as they serve others with joy.

May this calamity bring people closer together, to help each other and to care for the environment. Give us the faith, the hope and the love to carry on. This we ask through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

Cory Aquino was the president of my youth. During the my last year in high school, the People power revolution broke out and classes were dismissed and we stayed home for several days, confused and uncertain about the future of our country while  my father used to listen to the radio to keep  abreast of what was happening in Manila. We keep on asking him when we have to go back in school but he just said that he don’t know we have to pray for miracle. And miracle did happened, Marcos fled the country and Cory became the first woman president not only in the Philippines but in Asia.

She was the president during my college days and what I can remember was the hope and the excitement of finally tasting the freedom from all the years of oppression. If was also turbulent period because her goverment underwent many coup d’etat but she survived it all. Not only man made disasters but the unforgetable natural disasters happened during her presidency like the  July 19, 1990 Cabanatuan-Baguio earthquake which hometown, Dagupan City was devastated, the MT. Pinatubo volcano eruption in 1991 and the typhoon Uring which caused the massive flooding in Ormoc which killed thousands of people. Just imagined what she has been through but until the end she still thinks of the Philippines and the future of the Filipino people.

She is not only a mother of Kris Aquino and her siblings but the Filipino nation as well because if not for her courage we will be free from the dictatorship and who knows what will happen to the Philippines if she just keep silent and mind her own business. But even in her sufferings of losing her beloved husband, she also helped the Filipino nation to stand up and say “Tama Na Sobra na” (Stop and that’s Enough).

She is not perfect as a president as I heard several what if’s but like a mother she didn’t abandoned her family despite all the pressures left and right. But she left us hope and faith which will keep the Filipinos united. Despite her popularity  she lived a normal life after her term and experienced every ordianary mother  will experience family problems. Life is not perfect even her daughter Kris who was her constant companion being the youngest had been through a lot of problems who’s family is not perfect we all made mistakes Cory being truly a filipinamom  showed that she wasn not happy of what was happening but she still did support and accepts her with open arms when she asked for forgiveness.

Cory Aquino in the eyes of the world

A Screen shot from the program in DR1

In international telivision she was interviewed by several networks but I can not forget that I  happened to watched a program in the Danish national telivision DR1 “De skrev historie” meaning “They wrote history” a series of interview  of people who changed the history of the world the likes of Bishop Desmond Tutu, Madeleine Albright, Lech Walesa, Benazir Bhutto, etc. and I felt proud as a Filipina because we had started this trend of bloodless revolution and was led by a Filipina. It was also the way she told her story smiling a lot , even when she told about her husband murder she still  glows maybe yellow really suites her. You can watched archived of the program here  but I’m not so sure if you can watched it outside Denmark.

 In witten media she was also the darling of the press one of them is the Times Magazine. If you browse the Times Magazine homepage , you can find the following

1.Cory’s life in picture gallery .

2. She was cited as the Time Magazine’s Woman of year in 1987, you can read the article  here.

My heartfelt condolence to the family that was left behind by the former President of the Philippines, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. I just lost my father so I know how hard to loss one’s parent especially  Cory who served as mother and a father to her 5 children since 1989 when her husband, Benigno Aquino was assasinated.

May Cory’s example be the source strenght of millions of Filipinamoms all over the world during this time of financial crisis and to those who are working away from their families the OFW and other migrant families that they should not lose hope and faith.

Thank you Cory and may your soul rest in peace.