WINNIPEG?I meant to write about my current US tour for this week, but then I thought to use this space for something more important.

I knew that the rainfall pelting our country would cause flooding, as it is wont to do in the long monsoon season, but certainly not of near-biblical proportions?as what happened last weekend. There was certainly something amiss when my mother found herself unable to get from Quezon City to Muntinlupa at 11 p.m. last Friday. She texted me her status updates, and her anxiety about the weather.

A few hours earlier, I was on video chat with my husband and daughter, and I could see the pouring rain through the large window in the den.

I surfed the Net for photos, checked news sites for the latest reports, and scanned Facebook and Twitter for updates from friends and acquaintances. The stories were pretty much the same. Widespread flooding, people on rooftops, friends wading in neck-deep flood water, lost possessions ? people cold, wet and afraid.

Donation links

Many of our countrymen are stepping up to help?and you can, too, wherever you are. Visit http://sites.google.com/site/ondoymanila/home to find out how and where you can give money or goods, or lend a helping hand.

Here are the links for donations:

?The Philippine National Red Cross website http://www.redcross.org.ph

?Kababayans abroad can do it through Paypal athttp://www.txtpower.org/2009/09/philippines-help-typhoon-victims-in-luzon-philippines. The donations will be forwarded to PNRC.

?Http://sites.google.com/site/ondoymanila will have a list of the relief efforts across the metro. Churches are also receiving donations in cash and kind.

How to donate

1) Cash or check: Send to the PNRC national headquarters, Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila 2803, Philippines. Checks should be made payable to The Philippine National Red Cross. They can also arrange for donation pick-up.

2) Bank deposit: Account Name: The Philippine National Red Cross:

?Allied Bank Intramuros; current account no. 1941-01347-1; Swift Code: ABC MPH MM.

?BDO Port Area; savings account no. 453-0018647; Swift Code: BNOR PH MM.

?BPI Port Area; current account no. 4991-0010-99; Swift Code : BOPI PH MM; dollar savings account no. 453-0039482; Swift Code: BNOR PH MM

?Metro Bank Anda Circle Port Area; savings account no. 151-3-04163122-8; Swift Code: MBTC PH MM; dollar savings account no. 151-2-151002182; Swift Code: MBTC PH MM; yen savings account no. 151-2-15130001-9; Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

?PNB Sta. Cruz; savings account no. 3623-3680-0011; Swift Code: PNB MPH MM; dollar savings account no. 375-283500026; Swift Code: PNB MPH MM

Other PNRC dollar accounts

?BPI U.N. Ave; savings account no. 8114-0030-94; Swift Code: BOPI PH MM

?Union Bank of the Philippines Sta. Cruz; dollar savings account no. 132-070001012; Swift Code: UBPH PH MM

Other PNRC euro accounts

Metro Bank Binondo; euro savings account no. 016-201650005; Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

(For your donations to be properly acknowledged, fax the bank transaction slip at 527-0575 or 404-0979 with your name, address and contact number.)

3) Credit Card: fax the following info to 404-0979 or 527-0575: name of card member, billing address, contact nos. (phone & mobile), credit card no., expiration date, CCV2/ CVC2 (last three digits at the back of the credit card), billing address, amount to be donated.

4) In-kind local donations: send to The Philippine National Red Cross ? National Headquarters, Manila. Donation pick-up may be arranged. For international: send a letter of intent to donate to the PNRC. A letter of acceptance from PNRC shall be sent back to the donor. Immediately after shipping the goods, send the (a) original Deed of Donation, (b) copy of packing list and (c) original Airway Bill for air shipments or Bill of Lading for sea shipments to The Philippine National Red Cross ? National Headquarters c/o Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang, Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila 2803, Philippines.

The PNRC does not accept rotten, damaged, expired or decayed goods. It also discourages donations of old clothes as we have more than enough to go around.

5) SMS and G-CASH (Globe)
?SMS text RED[space]AMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart)

?G-CASH text DONATE[space]AMOUNT[space]4-digit M-PIN[space]REDCROSS to 2882

For other inquiries, call the PNRC hotline at 143 or 527-0000.