I was lucky that Typhoon Ondoy did not affect my apartment. We are out in
Pampanga two hours from Manila but we did not have a flood in my little
neighborhood.
But so many people died in this typhoon, and now the world knows what can
happen in the Philippines. We get more than 20 typhoons each year and they
cause many problems.
Typhoon Feria back there in June damaged many houses in Samar Province where
I am from. I was visiting then and it was very scary. You know we don't have
a radio there or any way to know when a typhoon is coming. We just hope for
the best and we know that no one will help us.
Two other typhoons in August and September gave us rain for more than one
week. A lot of floods and some people died then, too.
But I think that nobody outside of the Philippines knows about these things
unless they are very, very bad.
As I said, my family and friends ... (more)
I think it is napakatawa (funny) when Kanos talk about the roosters here. I
have heard a rooster every day of my life, so really I don’t hear them
anymore. But Kamo friends say the roosters “are a sign” that they are in
the Philippines.
It has been so very maimit (hot) here the last week. It makes my head hurt
when I walk outside, and it wakes me up early in the morning. I don’t like
aircon you know, but some days the heat makes me very tamad (lazy) and I
don’t want to write, I don’t even want to chat on YM
I was alone in my apartment last week for one night because my bro and si... (more)
We love parties in the Philippines. We get together with family and friends
and throw a big party. Even if life is hard, we will find a way to get money
for a great celebration.
We have our holidays, of course, and every family has parties for birthdays,
weddings, and other special days, even funerals.
Some of the best parties are the Barangay Fiestas. A barangay is a barrio, or
neighborhood, in any town or city. Barangay Fiestas last two or three
days–so much dancing, and eating, and drinking Red Horse serbesa
I am back home in Samar province now, and I just went to the Bakhaw Fi... (more)
The Fiesta of San Juan is coming June 22 back in my province. I will be
attending this year. This is a wild fiesta for three days and you will get
very wet if you attend!
The Fiesta of San Juan celebrates the man who was the first one to know that
Jesus is the Son of God. He baptized Jesus you know, and baptized many other
people.
During the fiesta, people go in the ocean to get wet and they get water from
the ocean to make everyone else wet.
Many times I get napaka galit (very angry) when people spray water on me. But
I can't fight them because it is my fault. Remember you will... (more)
The Philippines on Ulitzer
I have received so many visitors to my post about Ondoy. So I want to talk a
little more about the calamities in the Philippines.
First, here are places you can go to help:
www.philippineaid.org - I mentioned this one before.
www.inquirer.net - This is a newspaper website. They have a lot of
information about the Ondoy Relief Drive.
www.redcross.org.ph - Yes, they are very active here just like in the US and
other places.
I want to let everyone know again that this is not the only time that we have
trouble in the Philippines. We have so many typhoons eve... (more)
Inday Vinas grew up in Samar Province, Philippines. She left high school after three years to work and help her family, including seven brothers and sisters. She is now a writer and small businessperson.
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