<p>As we all can now see endlessly on tv, on the internet and all other news broadcast, a terrible and tragically strong typhoon hit the Philippines. Philippines is my homeland, and any part of this country suffering hurts so much. </p>
<p>Our country is a veteran when it comes to typhoons averaging 20+ every year. During the past few years, we have observed in the Philippines that the intensity of the storms, has changed a lot. Places that did not used to flood gets flooded now. It does not even take a typhoon to cause flash flooding there these days. And then Super Typhoon Haiyan presented itself. Preparations had been made prior to its arrival. I read about it, warned my friends and family there, and everyone knew it was coming, and the uniform answer is our Lord will help us through. I was just not sure how much they did understand the intensity of this storm as it was being shown on all the forecasts. When I saw that storm on radar, and it was almost covering the entire islands, it really made me so anxious, but I kept praying that one way or another our Lord will help us through. The Philippine government has been proactive enough to make the necessary evacuations, cancelling classes ahead of time, cancelling plane and inter-island shipping activities to prepare for the storm, repeatedly reminding all the people to brace themselves for this monster storm.</p>
<p>But as we now see, this monster storm was just way too much to handle. It clearly blindsided everyone, and the tragedy is unfolding and getting worst as days go on. First responders cannot respond if they themselves are victims or are killed. Local government personnel immobilized due to damaged vehicles and themselves victims or likewise dead. The people followed orders to be evacuated, but it just did not work because the storm surge came in as high as coconut trees. The body count of dead is hard to ascertain, as many are either buried under their collapsed homes, or may have floated away to sea. Debris all over the roads, cadavers everywhere, no power, no communication..and the list goes on and on.</p>
<p>My Philippines is home, not a rich one but it is our homeland. Most may be financially and economically poor but our wealth is our family, our faith, our integrity, our will to survive. Right now, this is being put to a terrible test. </p>
<p>Human compassion is much needed now. Beyond religious, cultural and political differences, all we need is compassion. It will be a long haul recovery. At this time of the year when the holidays are just around the corner, lots of families have nothing there now..no home or destroyed homes, no livelihood, no family left or maybe missing family members. </p>
<p>The typhoon season is still not over, hopefully no more catastropic ones for this year. My own family is lucky enough to be in Metro Manila so they did not have to meet this horrible typhoon. My sister-in-law, who lives in Cebu, after a couple of days was able to send in message she is okay. Any good news at this point is a cause for joy. Very grateful for the outpouring of help coming from all over the world. A lot more challenges are going to come over there. One step at a time. In the meantime, prayers and help, for the victims, for our Philippines.</p>
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