Girls in the Philippines

[Lyd]

I've been trying to find out more about the earthquake in the Philippines. We have good friends living in Cebu right now, and I'm worried about them. I know we have a few girls from the Philippines here. I don't know where you all are exactly, but I just want to see if everyone is okay. Check in please!

I'm kind of surprised that the news coverage here has been so scarce. The Philippines is a place near and dear to my heart. Praying for all those who have lost.

 

[Kjersti]

I've been thinking about them too.

 

[mrshobbes]

Thank you so much, Lydia and Kjersti! Here is some local coverage on the earthquake. The epicenter was actually a town right in between Negros Oriental and Cebu. The devastation is pretty bad. As of yesterday there were about 70+ people dead, but local government estimates the number could climb

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/one-dead-strong-philippine-quake-055342523.html

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/141545/71-buried-in-landslides-in-negros-oriental

ETA: I'm here in Manila so I'm okay, but I remember feeling slightly disoriented for a few minutes the day of the quake and now i'm wondering if I felt an aftershock or something.

 

[Lyd]

Thanks Lex! Glad you're okay. I don't know if you knew, but I lived in Manilla for five years during Elementary School. So, I love the P.I. I did hear from the son of our friends in Cebu, and he said they are fine and weren't affected very much. They are on the side of Cebu that is away from the quake, so I guess they didn't have a lot of damage. My SIL is also a Filipina, and she has a lot of family there. I haven't heard from her yet, but I think most of her family is near Manila, so they wouldn't have been affected much either. We are keeping everyone in our thoughts and prayers.

 

[mrshobbes]

Oh happy to hear they are okay! And I love hearing stories of people saying they've been here, it makes my heart happy Some friends of mine are organizing relief operations/packages to be sent there, and I know some member countries of ASEAN are on standby to send relief workers and aid should the government need it.

 

[Aggie Aviso]

Thanks for thinking of us Lydia
I am based in the big island of Luzon, where Manila is and the earthquake happened in Visayas - Cebu and another island, Negros. Cebu is now fine, but Negros has had many aftershocks since the earthquake.