iVolunteer Rallies Support for #ReliefPH #UlyssesPH for NGO Communities

12 November 2020, #ULYSSESPH #RELIEFPH. Earlier in November 2020, in immediate response to Typhoon Ulysses destruction, iVolunteer donated P5000 to FEED as part of their consolidated relief efforts conducted for our partner NGOs, as they realized that nonprofit communities are the most vulnerable to calamities and would be in need of resources. They immediately set up a relief page, identifying which partners were involved with which relief efforts, and rallied support for cash and in kind donations via their website (https://www.ivolunteer.com.ph/treasure-volunteer/6540) and FB (https://www.facebook.com/ivolunteerphils) pages.

Meantime, the PHP5000 from iVolunteer was immediately handed over by FEED to FEED Ambassador Tina Antonio, Founder of La Union Soul and President of San Juan Resort Restaurant and Hotel Association (SJRHAS).  The PHP5000 was fully deployed to purchase the outstanding requirements of organic native Philippine vegetable seeds requested by remote communities affected by Ulysses. Tina was instrumental in mobilising the relief effort from La Union with Love – also  in charge of consolidating all donations from all across the Philippines to  La Union, before the deliveries to Tuguegarao and Cagayan Valley, with thanks to several on the ground trusted volunteers. “Our care packages arrived in #CagayanValley. We have collected a total of PHP109,200 in cash donations that have been disbursed for additional relief goods, direct aid to Zonta, CNCVB, and Taripnong – Cagayan Valley, logistics and transportation costs. We still have PHP16,413 remaining balance that will be transferred directly to our NGO partners as soon as they receive our truckload of in-kind donations. Thank you to our youth groups ELYU BTS ARMY Lupon ng mga Indibidwal na Nangangalaga sa Kalikasan (LINK), LU residents, friends in Manila who have supported this drive! 🤗NGO partners Zonta Club of Central Tuguegarao Caridad Esquibil HQ! Some of the in-kind donations will go to Taripnong – Cagayan Valley as well.  Special thanks to Randgren Aleson Palabay, Walter, and Allen, who have travelled through the rainy weather. Thanking Emil Rodriguez Ganaden’s and DPWH Region I for the logistics support.” – Tina Antonio

Tina was sure to publish regular updates on the status of the donation drive throughout, thankfully: “It was only last friday, Nov 13 at 8PM when we found out through social media on the situation of #CagayanValley through friends in #RescuePH. We quickly got in touch with our group North Philippines Visitors Bureau on FB messenger to check our groups in Cagayan Valley area. We were keeping in touch through messenger until after midnight to ensure that Caridad Esquibil, Tata Bulauitan Custodio, Mitoy F. Cayosa, Malou Escasa were safe from #UlysessPH.

Their houses were flooded, but immediately the day after their groups Zonta Club of Central Tuguegarao and Cagayan North Convention & Visitors Bureau mobilized to give relief to the areas severely affected by the storm and flashflooding. Here’s our favorite Tita travelling 3 hours away from Tuguegarao to do a check and provide prelimenary relief to fishermen, farmers, and aeta brothers and sisters at Santa Ana, Cagayan. Livelihood has been devastated due to the three storms that passed. We’re currently sourcing vegetable and crop seeds for livelihood. Let me know if you have leads!”
Photo Journal

iVolunteer continues to gather funds to allocate to the ff. NGO partners who have identified support needed during this time:

Typhoon Vamco/Ulysses lashed the main island of Luzon whipping destructive winds and dumping heavy rainfall that triggered massive flooding in several areas. Vamco, the third major typhoon to hit the country in as many weeks, made landfall over Quezon province at 10.30 p.m. of 11 November (local time), packing maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h and gustiness of up to 205 km/h. The typhoon then traversed through Central Luzon overnight, moving to within 100 kilometers north of the capital Metro Manila, and exiting landmass on the morning of 12 November.

Rescuers evacuate residents from their flooded homes after Typhoon Vamco hit, in Marikina City, suburban Manila on November 12, 2020. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP), Philippine Inquirer

Ahead of the typhoon’s landfall, torrential rains were already being felt in the Bicol Region which was just affected by Super Typhoon Goni in early November.

Flash floods and landslides were reported in the provinces of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur. Large swaths of Luzon, including the capital city, were submerged in roof-level floods in scenes reminiscent of Tropical Storm Ketsana/Ondoy in 2009.

A man carries a child to safety as a rescue team from the local government helps a family trapped in floodwaters in Barangay Boclod in San Jose, Camarines Sur on Wednesday. San Jose LGU photo (c/o ABS-CBN)

In Marikina City, located in the national capital, officials reported that around 40,000 houses were either partially or fully submerged, and that all 47 evacuations centers in the city are full with some evacuees seeking temporary shelter in nearby homes. Similar episodes of immersed houses and people trapped on rooftops were reported in the provinces of Rizal, Bulacan, and Cavite.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) deployed search and rescue teams to support local authorities in ferrying people to safer ground.
Government has yet to assess the typhoon’s damages to shelter, infrastructure and agriculture.

Source: https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/philippines-typhoon-vamco-ulysses-snapshot-12-november-2020 – UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (https://www.unocha.org/).

About iVolunteer

Our Dream: Every Filipino volunteering towards nation building.

Our Mission: iVolunteer Philippines is promoting volunteerism by:

  • Providing organizations with a platform and avenue to reach more volunteers that match their organization’s needs.
  • Campaigning and promoting the concept of volunteerism broadly.
  • Providing volunteers an easy way to find volunteering opportunities that matches their skills, interest, and advocacy.

How we are doing it:

  • Developing leaders within the iVolunteer Philippines community through internal training and volunteer ambassador development programs such as Social Innovation Challenge and Community Meetups.
  • Empowering nonprofits by providing volunteer management and organizational development trainings.
  • Building sustainable media and corporate partnerships that promote volunteerism to a greater audience.
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iVolunteer is not just a “website” but a culture-driven community empowered by our shared passion for volunteerism. We thrive because of small contributions of many passionate individuals and partners. This is how we sustain our advocacy to promote volunteerism in the Philippines: one person at a time.

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The iVolunteer website is run 100% by volunteers with full-time day jobs! It’s a testament that if you want to help, there is no reason not to start now with what you can offer. In this, we also find hope that others, given the right information, will be encouraged to join our cause.

Building on each other’s work

iVolunteer was founded in 2009 in the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy). Our founders saw many Filipinos wanted to volunteer amid the crisis but couldn’t do so because the accessible NGOs back then could no longer accommodated additional volunteers. Meanwhile, those NGOs with lesser visibility struggled to get help in time. It is here that iVolunteer came into fruition and found its purpose.

In 2011, iVolunteer [www.ivolunteer.com.ph] was launched as the online volunteer-matching platform we know today. Over the years, we have used the internet, social media, and our extended network to bring more volunteers and nonprofit organizations together.

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We’re inviting everyone: short-term or long-term volunteers, of any background, interest or expertise to be part of our community. Start your adventure by signing up in one or more volunteer opportunities we post and update on a daily basis. Lead the change and empower others by sharing your experience as well our website to your friends and family.

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