In the early days after Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) struck the central Philippines, we didn’t know who was alive or dead, then it was a matter of desperately getting food and medicine where it was needed; then shelter.

Now, 17 days after the monster storm hit, the question of how to restore livelihoods is moving to […]

As the Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) aftermath moves from relief to recovery, one of the most obvious areas that has been devastated and needs to be addressed is the loss of virtually the entire subsistence fishing industry in the affected areas of the Visayas. But creative Filipinos in some areas have already come up with an […]

Manny Pacquiao crafted a masterful near shutout win over an outmatched Brandon Rios in Macau and in so doing brought a ray of sunshine to his fellow Filipinos at a time when they most need it.  While Pacquiao fell just short of the goal that he and trainer Freddie Roach had set of a knockout […]

This feels like an “only in the Philippines” story, although to be sure, who kows whether this might happen somewhere else or not?  The situation is so unprecedented, anything is possible.

So, remember back on Day 1 and 2 of the typhoon when the reports came out that Filipino prisoners had escaped from the prison […]

Typhoon Haiyan an the Philippines made it back to the top of international headlines on Friday night (Saturday morning in the Philippines) with the sad news, announced on the  National Disaster National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council‘s website, that the  revised the death total from Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) is 5,235. The figure represents […]

NPR in the US has aired an interesting segment examining the conflict that has been rumbling in the Philippines between President Noynoy Aquino and Tacloban Mayor Alfredo Romualdez (who, for Americans who may not recognize the name, is the nephew of Imelda Romualdez Marcos).

Reuters is reporting that Marciano Deladia, a chief aide to the mayor of Balangiga, and other residents are thankful for the US packets of rice and other food. “But we want our bells back,” he said.  “We don’t have any animosity against the American people,” said Deladia, standing in front of a monument recreating the ambush […]

As many know, Rena is spearheading a project for delivering relief to the coastal barangay of Guinob-an, municipality of Lawaan, Eastern Samar. We just got a batch of photographs back to Manila. They were taken by JR Estela, Rena’s nephew, who transported an early supply of medicine and rice, took pictures, and has now returned […]

Rappler needs your help to bridge the gap between someone searching for their family in the affected areas or a survivor trying to reach out. You can start with the photo album below or on Rappler’s Facebook page. MovePH and volunteers are taking photos of Typhoon Yolanda survivors who want to get a message out. Rappler […]

There is something wildly surreal about the upcoming Manny Pacquaio – Brandon Rios fight, set for this Saturday night (Sunday morning in the Philippines). I suppose that with the venue being Macau, it would always have seemed a little strange after watching Manny fight in the US for the last decade or so. But Typhoon […]

Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) has created what feels like infinite havoc in the Philippines, including countless evacuees. This Picture of a USAF C-17 carrying 675 evacuees out of Leyte is pretty astonishing. I’m wondering if 675 people on one airplane is some kind of a record. Really amazing. Scroll down to see what kind of plane […]

There follows a heartbreaking open letter addressed “Dear DSWD” and which has been posted on Facebook and is making the rounds there, with photographs that support it. If you would like to make sure it gets to DSWD, tweet this link to DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman’s personal twitter @dinkysunflower and to the official DSWD Twitter […]

US Marine Maj. John Orio from San Diego, CA, drinks fresh coconut juice upon landing on Manicani island which was isolated by super typhoon Haiyan Saturday Nov.16, 2013 in Eastern Samar province in central Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, according to U.S. Navy’s Joint Warning Center, slammed into central […]

The Department of Social Welfare and Development and Malacanang have posted a tweet which gives a phone number you can call or text to report towns and barangays who are not receiving aid. The number is 09209463766. You can also tweet to DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman direction — @dinkysunflower, and to DSWD’s official twitter account […]

The actual cost of reconstruction in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan is impossible to estimate with any accuracy, but one Philippine government official has started the discussion.  Arsenio Balisacan, economic planning secretary, offered his estimate of the cost to rebuild schools, houses, roads, bridges and other infrastructure in the devastated areas.

“I would not be […]

We just go a report earlier today from Tim Desmond, and now this from Gary Neely who along with Rose Neely has a micro-relief project to Bolusao, one of the coastal towns of Lawaan municipality in Eastern Samar.  You can visit their project and donate at this link:  https://rally.org/bolusaophilippinesrecovery 

Update from Bolusao

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It’s time to start acknowledging the Heroes of the Storm. I have about half a dozen in mind already. I want to start with one whose contribution was not physical — it was spiritual, and it was much needed.  Armand TJ’s song #SOS Philippines, performed by Visayas teens, is starting to go viral and can […]

This is just heartbreaking, and awe-inspiring. This is what people faced in the Philippines.  And this is what millions who have family members in flimsy seaside homes had going through their mind for three days last weekend as we waited to hear from missing relatives.

Filipino culture prides itself on the spirit of “tulong tulong tayo” and “bayanihan” — references to helping one another in times of need. And so it is particularly painful to hear reports of looting in that culture — yet as a report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer reveals, the “mobs” in Guiuan on Monday morning […]

Anyone who thinks that the worst is over in the Philippines just isn’t paying attention. Ten days in, there are dozes if not hundreds of communities that have received no aid.  For others, a trickle of food aid is starting to get in, initially from private donations.  Rommel Llevado, a resident of Guinob-an, a coastal […]

There were a number of maps attempting to show Typhoon Haiyan overlaid on the United States. But this one goes a step further and overlays the Phiiippines and Typhoon Haiyan. So …. America — hello! Do you now begin to get a sense for how the size of the Philippines?

Honestly, most Americans I talk […]

Visit Bangonph.com for more of these. Meawhile we will post them here and share.  This is an effort to share urgent needs of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) victims so that those who may be able to do something will now the needs, and how to contact those requesting.  We will update this periodically and coordinate with […]

Reuters has published a report that includes a captioned slideshow showing delivery of AID by US Military to Balangiga, Eastern Samar.  There is no mention of delivery to any of the adjoining coastal towns of Eastern Samar. No reports yet of US military delivering aid to Lawaan, which is adjacent to Balangiga (and is our […]

Google has put out an interactive map of aid and recovery efforts in the Philippines.  This is an excellent tool for understanding where the aid is going, and what the scope of the problem is.

Here it is, embedded — so all interactive features are live.

Now … sad news for us … here […]

Gary Neely is my cousin-in-law — the husband of Rena’s cousin, Rose Sagales.  He and I both share a similar affliction, which is great affection and respect for the Philippines and Filipinos — based in no small part on our superwives, who like all overseas Filipinos are a major provider for the whole family […]