I am back in Manila but I would like to take this opportunity to delay any travel updates I have and have this certain entry entirely for my fellow countrymen who are in need right now.

The Philippines recently had an encounter with a typhoon which was locally named as Yolanda (and internationally known as Haiyan). It is considered as one of the strongest typhoon having gusts of up to 235mph. It is not usual for our country to raise storm signals up to 4 and most of the areas that the typhoon met on its way was truly combed- scattering house parts, uprooting trees, destroying homes, and livelihood, not even a single structure endured the strong rains and winds.

And I can't help but cry and feel extremely devastated with all the pictures taken and posted. It is only through these that we'll be able to know what happened with our fellow countrymen. It breaks my heart seeing them desperately looking for food to feed their families, people standing beneath their deceased relatives gazing at them in prayers that they're in a safer place now, children clinging to their parents with eyes full of questions, families in evacuation areas holding their family members nearer to them because they know that they may only be the ones they have left after the storm passes.

And now thousands of people lost their loved ones, families brought apart by the storm are looking for their other members in hopes that they're still breathing. A lot of people in other parts of the country's desperately posting names of their relatives in hopes that someone who has a connection near the area could be a bridge for their reconciliation.

It breaks my heart to see the aftermath of the storm and being one of those who happened to live farther from the path the storm has taken (we live in Manila and experienced light rains), I know I should do something to help them even in my own small way. Our family has decided to sort out our clothes and share it. It's the least we could do aside from prayers and I guess this is one of the best times to show to our fellow brother and sisters the meaning of the word "family".

You could also help and send your love to them by donating or pledging through these groups and websites:

• UNICEF
• VICTORY
• OPERATION BLESSING - PHILIPPINES
• SAGIP KAPAMILYA
• KAPUSO FOUNDATION
• PHILIPPINE RED CROSS