New Devasting Typhoon in The Philippines.

Our brothers Cris and Jay went to Mindanao for their Christmas holidays to be with their respective families and to meet their friends after more than a year of absence.
But a terrible and unexpected tropical storm hit the island of Mindanao. The typhoon “Sendong” surprised all with its ferocity.
Our brothers are in the midst of desolation. With his family, Jay is staying at the evacuation center. His house is submerged along with the others in the neighborhood. Some of his closest friends died while in their sleep when the flashfloods came. At the moment, there are more than 600 deaths and 900 missing persons.

We pray for those who have died and we try to comfort those who have survived. It is our desire to help our brothers to give support and consolation to those who will celebrate Christmas in mud and tears

Thank you for your prayers and solidarity.

With much affection, Fr. Bernard.

Thank you for helping us help them!

Please send your donation to the European or American account with the mention: “Typhoon Sendong".
For a Bank transfer: LCL (Le Crédit Lyonnais): IBAN : FR90 3000 2004 2600 0000 9319 R07
Code B.I.C.: CRLYFRPP

For North-America:
In Canadian dollars:
Montmartre Canadien – Philippines, 1679, Chemin Saint-Louis -QUEBEC G1S 1G5 -Canada.
In American dollars:
Augustinians of the Assumption – Philippines, 330 Market Street -BRIGHTON, MA 02135 -USA

For Europe:
In Euros :
Procure Missionnaire de l’Assomption,
79 Avenue Denfert-Rochereau
75014 PARIS - France

For the Philippines:
Kaloob Account
In Peso: BPI, Loyola-Katipunan Branch-Quezon City, Philippines: 3081-1160-58 / In Euro: BPI: 3084-0528-08/ In Dollars: BPI: 3084-0527 -94

Dear Fr. Bernard,

Thanks again for asking about updates from CDO.

Yesterday, my family made our 2nd transport/transfer of things from our flooded house to our temporary dwelling. Some persons have started to break into flooded/abandoned houses. So far, no theft has occurred in our area. We are now staying in the 3rd floor of the building of our mother's brother, the former mayor of CDO. My family will stay here temporarily until they will find a new home somewhere in the uptown area of CDO perhaps near SM or the airport. They no longer want to go back to our flooded house. They developed some sort of a trauma. Of my 4 siblings, only the family of our youngest sister and our mother are very much affected by the flood because they stayed in my former house where Frs. Ricky and Alex, Cris, Rowell, Glenn and some other brothers have stayed before.

A nephew sustained fractures in his left arm and a deep cut in his right arm because he was hit by debris during the flood. At that time, he was visiting a friend when the flood hit the latter's area. An aunt, a cousin of our mother, died at the height of the flashflood. A grand uncle died a few days after the flood. A cousin also died a few days after the flood. Again, I would like to acknowledge the financial help from the Congregation. It helped my family buy neccessary things like stove and food. I also shared a portion of the money in defraying expenses related to the surgical operation of my nephew yesterday and the funeral/burial of our grand uncle, aunt and cousin.

Right now, the situation in CDO is slowly going back to normal. The City government has identified a relocation site for the victims but there is no electricity and water supply yet there. Some victims have started to go back to their former places but the local and national governments have prevented them from going back there especially the ones near the CDO river and the islets/sandbars in the river. Water supply is still a problem in most parts of the city. A lot of people are still in the evacuation centers. Some places are still muddy because of the intermittent rains in the past days. The Department of Health and the local health office have vaccinated people against leptospirosis. They also distributed medicines against diarrhea and other water-born diseases. The Jesuits have donated their lot near the airport for relocation site but  reports have it that the City Mayor is not accepting the donation. I am not really sure why. Food and clothes for the victims are in abundant supply here. What's needed are drinking water, counselling esp for the children and construction materials for those willing to move to the relocation site.

As for your friend's query on the Dapanas family, I know a number of its members because they are natives of Opol town. I have been to San Pedro Beach years ago. But as far as reports put it, there are no casualties in Opol or the flood did not affect Opol. Just the same, I will inquire about the Dapanas family that your friend is referring to.

Again, thank you Father and that's all for now.

Fraternally yours,

Fr. Jay, A.A.