Every once in awhile someone rises up out of nowhere and “says it all”, capturing the moment. The following “Letter from a Survivor”, written by Biboy Alimangohan, is just that and is starting to blow up on Facebook, as it should. The original is in Taglish. I’m posting it first that way, and then below, […]
In the best of “normal” times, remittances from family members abroad forms a major component to the overall Philippine economy, and are a critical economic factor for many lower income families whose overseas members frequently remit a significant portion of their earnings to help the family in the Philippines achieve an improved lifestyle.
Last month, […]
You can read the original version of this report at this link at ABS-CBN . I am republishing it and adding the numbers and Twitter accounts that you can call or tweet to inform the DSWD and Malacanang to help make sure this town is not forgotten.
TACLOBAN CITY — The town of Sta. Rita is […]
Today is Thanksgiving in the US, the day we pause and give thanks for the many blessings in our lives. This year, for those of us with family members in Samar, Leyte, and the other areas devastated by typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), it feels different. Our family has been spared loss of life, and for that […]
The following short BBC report is a great primer on what’s happened to the coconut farmers as a result of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).
These coconut farmers appear to live among the coconuts. More common on Samar is for the plot of land where the coconuts are farmed to be up inland, a lengthy […]
The International Committee For the Red Cross published this video which is as simple as it is effective — one man, Sofrnio Masagca of Salcedo, talking about what the typhoon has done to him and his family. He’s not a relative of our family in Eastern Samar — but he could be. He like he […]
Record labels Sony, Warner Music and Universal have put together a genre-spanning compilation album called Songs for the Philippines. The album features 39 hit songs, such as Justin Timberlake’s Mirrors, Katy Perry’s Unconditionally and Beyonce’s I Was Here. It also features classic tracks like The Beatles’ Across the Universe, Bob Dylan’s Shelter From the Storm and Madonna’s Like A Prayer. The compilation album is available on iTunes […]
Typhoon Yolanda has caused us to focus of the coastline of Samar, but last night I started thinking about the interior. I realized that because the population is concentrated along the coast, that’s where much of the focus is — but the interior of the island is fascinating in its own right. First of all, […]
Based on statements made by President Aquino, and reporting from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, it is now absolutely clear that the Philippine government is intentionally under-reporting fatalities from Typhoon Haiyan. The President and NDRRMC openly admit that, for example, only the identified dead, certified by a coroner’s report, are added to the count. When […]
There’s an incredible story making the rounds on Facebook and elsewhere about a Montreal programmer named Houssam Hammoudi who rushed off to the Philippines in the early days after Typhoon Yolanda hit to find his internet girlfriend Grace Acojedo, whom he knew to be in harms way in Ormoc, Leyte. He’s Canadian, she’s Filipino, he’s […]
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 […]
Smart Communications has provided updates concerning its recovery efforts since Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that leave open one question that seems to be an imponderable. Why are you ignoring Eastern Samar?
Smart has announced that it has restored coverage as follows:
Mobile coverage is fully restored in cities and municipalities of Bohol, Cebu, Guimaras, Negros […]
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 […]
Every once in awhile a picture comes along that says it all. This one, uncredited, is starting to make the rounds on Facebook. I’m trying to find the credit — I did a TinEye.com search (see below) which says it seached 4.2 Billion images and didn’t find a match. If someone knows, let […]
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
[…]
I never thought I would ever see Anderson Cooper of CNN, whom I and a lot of you have been defending ever since his dustup with Korina Sanchez last week, deliver such a lame and meaningless report on an ongoing humanitarian disaster, particularly this disaster. The report, four minutes long, aired 36 minutes into his […]
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 […]
Year of the Spy Book Trailer
Video PlayerAbove is the Year of the Spy Book Trailer — for my upcoming non-fiction book about espionage upheavals on the streets of Moscow in 1985.
Below is a “trailer” showcasing the writing and video services I provide to clients.
Michael Sellers — Writing and Video Services
Video Player
My eBook — Just released Dec 5, 2012
EBook You don't need a Kindle or iPad -- Download Adobe Digital Editions for Free, then read the .mobi (Kindle Format) or .epub (Nook, iPad Format) digital book on your computer. Or order the PDF which is formatted exactly like the print book.Recent Posts
- Arsha Sellers — Today I’m One Big Step Closer to Becoming a Real Forever Dad
- Meet Abby Sellers and Arshavin Sellers — My Wife, My Son, My Inspiration Every Day
- What the Mueller Report Actually Says
- Remembering James Blount, an American Who “Got” the Philippines in 1901
- America the Beautiful? You Mean America the Pitiful. I Am Ashamed