It’s been over a month now since that Dec. 17 flood brought by Tropical Storm Sendong that claimed 37 lives and caused damage worth millions of pesos to property in Negros Oriental alone.
Many of the victims, especially those whose homes were either damaged or washed away, are still reeling from the effects of this catastrophe. The task of rebuilding continues for them and for our community as a whole.
The generous outpouring of financial and material help from people all over the world has, no doubt, been a great help for the victims. The donations received by Dumaguete from private individuals, companies, organizations, and even from other local government units in the country, has been unprecedented.
Incidentally, donors may be interested to know that they may continue giving assistance to Sendong victims through their favorite charities or accredited institutions (unless you know the victims personally, it is generally unwise to go to a disaster area and distribute relief items by yourself if you have had no prior experience in doing so).
Apart from helping rebuild homes, donors may also want to help victims who have lost opportunities to get an education or a job. The avenues for helping are endless.