The entirety of 2020 has been quite the mess for everyone but the past few weeks have been especially distressing for us as the Philippines was hit not by one, not even two, but three typhoons that were only a week away from each other: Typhoon Quinta, Super Typhoon Rolly, and Typhoon Ulysses.
Despite the efforts to be prepared, many people were still badly affected一 displaced from their homes, and with barely any means of survival. Local government units have been doing their part in providing aid to the victims but right now, it’s been another group of people taking charge when it comes to helping others recover from the effects of these typhoons.
That’s right. The youth.
There have been Twitter threads, Google Sheets, and Instagram posts created by students and other members of the youth compiling the many donation drives and similar efforts made to help the victims of both typhoons.
#ArtForACause/#Icons4UlyssesPH
Young Filipino artists have been opening up art commission slots on Twitter and Instagram to their followers in order to get more donations for those affected. Most of them have linked different donation drives to their posts, asking that their followers donate to the cause before sending in a commission request.
Fanclub initiatives
Whether they’re for your favorite K-pop groups or Thai actors, PH-based fanclubs have also joined in doing their part to provide assistance to those in need. Probably the biggest so far are the donation efforts formed by various Filipino ARMY (BTS fans) fanclubs, wherein they collected PHP 2M for the victims of the typhoons.
Various donation drives
Aside from the mentioned efforts, schools and other organizations have been calling on for help in providing goods and even compiled lists of those who needed (and might still need) rescue from flooded areas:
- Donation Drives PH on Twitter
- Makesense PH’s relief efforts thread
- Frontliners’ Kitchen’s donation drive
You can find other efforts among the Twitter threads linked above (or here).
#NoStudentLeftBehind
Other than collecting monetary and in-kind donations for victims, students have also taken the initiative to fight for each other, especially those that were badly hit by the typhoon. Groups of students have petitioned to take an academic break in order to recover from the disaster, and enough schools have actually called off class for a week.
Not only are students asking for a break from school, they are also taking this mass strike as a means to call on the government to take more action during these times. The president himself has even responded. (Is it really a response, though?).
Surely, it isn’t just us Zoomers trying to make an effort but we are trying to make a bigger impact, and do our part in making sure everyone gets the aid they need.
If you have the means, please consider checking out the donation drives shared above. If not, feel free to spread the word一 that alone is a big help already!
Photo courtesy of the Philippine News Agency.
