Not enough news coverage of the widespread disaster because they killed ABS-CBN. It was the only network with strong provincial coverage. Now it seems like we’re experiencing news blackout and only tweets and FB posts keep us informed by people on the ground, if they have enough batteries and if cellular signal is present. The remaining skeletal news staff of ABS-CBN is still providing us with what they can despite limited bandwidth.

I went out of the house at 5 pm to buy supplies for myself and goods for donation.

I thought about buying goods instead of sending cash because they are short-staffed and they may not have enough manpower to buy relief goods. The affected areas also may have shortage of goods in grocery stores, just like what we experienced when I was covering Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). I had to bring my own provisions from Manila because nothing can be bought locally.

Hygiene kits are equally important. As Cong. Joey Salceda told me when I interviewed him right after I got back to Manila from Haiyan Ground Zero, a sense of dignity is important for the refugees’ mental and physical health. Part of that is giving them access to clean clothes and personal hygiene products. Salceda is a veteran of disaster mitigation and response as he led Albay province—one of the most typhoon-prone provinces in the country—to zero fatality score. Albay was also a case study for my sister’s PhD dissertation on climate change adaptation. He is a political whore but local government management-wise, he makes sense…as far as I know. He used to be the chief research analyst at ING-Barings then he entered politics.

Anyway, I went to Ateneo to drop off the donation but… Damn it. I WAS TOO EARLY! Goods are to be accepted Nov 2! They don’t have staff/volunteers now. 🤦‍♀️ Good thing the President of Ateneo took in the goods at his residence.

Well at least I’m done with this because I will be too busy next week.

After Ateneo, I went to UP to feed stray cats with my excess food stranded in my fridge. People had been sending me food all week long for my birthday ❤️. But then it’s only me now left at home so I have a lot of leftovers.

OMG, I’m now officially THE Cat Lady!

I sent the pics to the girls and Twin I said that we should feed cats next week when they come home.

I had fed a white stray dog seeking shelter outside our gate a few days ago 😔 Poor dog. I wonder where he went during the storm 😢

This is what my friend TT had been telling me. I’m too much of an empath. Ah well, I have enough space in my heart for this type of thing. ❤️