BETAN Relief '09 for Typhoon Ondoy,

aka "Oplan Sunshine":

A Potpourri of Photos & Messages

TOTAL FUNDS RAISED, from Willie Vergara as of 10-22-09

*Does not include collections of Brod Raffy Hidalgo and UPBSFAA.

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At least $405 are either in the mail or have not been received as of 10-13-09.

*Does not include collections of Brod Raffy Hidalgo and UPBSFAA.

DONATIONS RECEIVED BY RAFFY HIDALGO

  *Note: This list does not include received by UPBSFAA.

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Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 10:47:13 -0700

Subject: {UPBSF International} Principal Truth Number Seven

From: srmamaril@gmail.com

Brods,

I would like to extend my gratitude to all of you for all the help and prayers for the safety of my family during the typhoon Ondoy. Your help would go a long way as we start anew after this tragedy. Aside from all the assistance, nothing beats the encouragement I got when we were trapped in a neighbor's place during those two and a half days of flooding.

My whole character was tested during that time - as a man I had to compose myself every time I swam the murky waters to and from my place hauling people in duraboxes/plastic drums and reminding myself that I should not die; as the head of the family I had to show strength as I comfort my family during that most challenging time; as a neighbor and friend I felt that it was my duty not to stop until all of us were safe most especially my neighbor's wife who was about to give birth (she eventually gave birth at the Medical City hours after we were rescued 3am Monday). I could literally smell death as I did ten round trips while the water rose and the undercurrent became stronger. During the final lap I drank kanal juice. When evening came we saw a floating hand and we heard pleas for help until the voices just slowly disappeared. Honestly, I got tired (tangina sino ba naman ang hindi e di man lang ako nakapag-stretching!) but never gave up. Tabets ako e.

To my batskas Alex Bermas and Jerome Obviar who risked their lives in an initial attempt to rescue us as early as 1030 am Saturday morning, salamat. Alex picked us up from the hospital 430am Monday morning and offered their place as a temporary shelter for my family. To the OBBF especially to the Operation Sunshine crew who visited my place and brought more than sunshine while we were salvaging what was left of the first floor: Melvir Buela, Raffy Hidalgo, Chito Tapawan, Leo Robel (also a victim but readily volunteered to help), salamat. To all the brods from UPBSFAA and UPBSFI who extended help and offered prayers, you may not know me and I may not know most of you pero maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. Most of all, to my fellow residents who spent at least two days of their time helping us clean up instead of loading up on booze during their unexpected vacation: GP Prince Elmer Reyes, Kim Montaniel, Allan "alaska boy" Ibanez (bunso), Danilo Si, Renz "ozner" Caligua, Oliver Simon "Monsi" Tejero, Jomar Antuerpia, Joseph "joeyboy" Alvarez (who celebrated his batch birthday helping us out), and Alexis "dogz" Dogwe, maraming salamat mga brods. Ang huhusay niyong maghugas ng plato sa ga-ihing patak ng tubig!  I may have missed some names but sincerely family and I would like to thank the whole UP Beta Sigma Fraternity for the help.

It is also saddening that aside from the devastation of the typhoon, we also lost another brod and one of my idols, Mel D. Let's all join in prayer for his soul's eternal repose..

Brods, again maraming salamat. Gaya nga nung sinabi ko nung una, bagyo si Ondoy, Tabets tayo! Ang Tabets hindi sumusuko at laging masaya. Napatunayan kong muli na tama ang pinili kong favorite principal truth: "All Betans are highly enthusiastic individuals." Incidentally, number 7 din ako sa batch. Sabi nga nung mga brods sa wake ni Mel, "after sometime brod tatawanan nalang natin yan!" At sa mga brods na sinubukan ng tadhanang tangayin ang mga betlog ngunit hindi nagtagumpay: kina batska Wally Calderon, Leo Robel, Ollie Jumao-as, Willie Nepomuceno, Raul Landingin, Charles Co, at sa iba pang hindi natin alam na lumubog ngunit muling lumitaw, mabuhay kayo! Pwede na tayong mag Beta Sigma. Kidding aside, I'm glad to be alive, and most glad to be part of the legendary UP Beta Sigma.

So eto ang mga pics ng mga bagay na alam kong pagtatawanan nalang natin pagdating ng panahon. Cheers and enjoy! Tagay na brothers!

Simeon R. Mamaril

UP Beta Sigma Fraternity

1997 A - Die Sonnen Kinder

                    Mababaw pa                                                                      Volkswagon or Toyota

                                       Sa loob 1                                                                                        Sa loob 2

How deep is your love? Tumaas pa yan ng 4.5 feet.

                                 Where we stayed                                                                                 Minus 2 feet             

                              Parang walang nangyari                                                                  Danilo, Jomar, Kim

Self-portrait

Morning has broken          

                   Allan & Dogwe                                                                         Ozner, GP Elmer, Monsi

Operation Sunshine: Melvir, Raffy, Leo, puwet ni Danilo, Chito 

Hapi Batch b'day Joeyboy: Monsi, Jomar, Joey, Mon, Hepe, Danilo

Monsi, Mon, Hepe, Dogwe, Jomar, Joey, Danilo

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** UPDATED LIST OF DONORS - OCT. 5, 2009, 7:35 P.M. CALIFORNIA TIME
 

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Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 05:06:49 -0700
From: ricktolentino88@yahoo.com
 

Dear brods,

     I have been following very closely what the brods have been doing as far as help is concerned for the victims of typhoon Ondoy. All I can say is this is very commendable and worthy of the highest praises.

     Mid-afternoon today, I was visited by four brods at home. Ollie Jumao-as was one of them and they have been going around places where they believe some brods could have been victims themselves. They are doing this to offer financial assistance or manpower support for clearing the house of mud. Before seeing me, they went to the house of Vic Tirol and Ollie Santos at Kingsville, Antipolo. Most damaged was the house of a brod at Provident Village in Marikina where the silt is still knee-deep. I just can not remember the name of this brod in Provident.

                                             At Ric Tolentino's residence:  Ollie73, Raffy86, Ric65, Melvir02, Philip81
 

     This whole idea and the effort in putting it into action is very touching. Although my family and I were the "lucky" ones, so to speak, the healing effect of this act is indeed laudable for those severely affected. I am sure that there are other brods in other places who were also victimized by Ondoy. Our prayers go to them and their families. I doff my hat to all those who contributed, big or small, to this worthy cause. This is a very good manifestation of the BETAN SPIRIT.

     God bless to all. Let the spirit live on.

Cheers,

Ricky Tolentino
UPD Beta Sigma
Black Saints ' 65

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                         Give it to your mother please                                        Raffy86 and Melvir02 still looking for Ollie Santos house          

           Melvir02 and team leader for the day Ollie73 looking                          Finding it!  Raffy86 and Ollie73 with Mrs. Santos

                             First things first, beer for Raul                                              Raffy86, Melvir02, Philip81 and Raul  

  Philip 81 and Melvir 02   *  At the wake of Mel68- Raffy86, Mrs. Dave dela Torre, Teps Navarro75, Chito Tapawan72, Butch Madarang75

                              Teps75 and Raffy86                                                                     Chito72, Jun63 and Badjour70

                                Dave73 and Ollie73                                                                     Ross69, Pat65, Butch75

          5,000 capsules of meds from Jopet Laraya63                                Dennis86 receiving meds for distribution in affected QC areas

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Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 10:00:04 -0700
From: miko04_lopez@yahoo.com
Subject: updates
To: tatang_up@hotmail.com

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Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 11:18:40 +0800
Subject: {UPBSF International} Relief Operations Update
From: rafael.hidalgo@gmail.com
To: operation_big_brother_foundation@yahoogroups.com; up-beta-sigma-fraternity-international-@googlegroups.com; up_betans@yahoogroups.com; poti_aparato@yahoo.com

1.  OBBF conducted relief operations yesterday (Operation Sunshine).  Present were:
 
Operation Sunshine Chair Melvir Buela 02
Team Leader Chito Tapawan 72
Leo Robel 95
Philip Marfil 81
Ollie Jumao-as 73
myself
 
2.  We went to the residence of:
 
Willie Nepomunceno 69 in San Isidro Cainta
Willie and his family are doing fine.  The flooding which went as higher than 7 feet had abated.  His house which is for the most part concrete suffered only minor damage.  Of course the lost much of their things that were on the first floor.  Willie was not there when we arrived, he was out on an errand, but we talked to his wife and family and spoke with him over the phone.  Tinangay daw yung mga alak niya.  His wife said they were better off than many and the news reports on the radio and on text (the ones I reported earlier on the egroup) were a bit exaggerated.  They did not have to be picked up on the roof after 3 days without as reported.  His wife said that they were more or less ok in their 2nd floor, as they were able to bring up some supplier with them.  We dropped off 3 boxes of supplies and several gallons of water.
   
Mon Mamaril 97 in Vista Verde Cainta
Mon was in relatively good spirits as all good Betans are.  His family was in one of the hardest hit areas.  Mon told us of hearing screams and then eerie silence, and of bodies floating with the rushing water.  Many died at Vista Verde.  It was a pretty big subdivision and everywhere there were houses gutted by the flood.  We got there and Mon's house had been devastated.  It was no longer livable, and his family and a handful of residents were trying to salvage what they could and clean up the mud with only trickles of water running from the faucet if any at all.  Mon is living with Brod Alex Bermas 97 and his family right now but will move when stable.  We gave him 3 boxes of supplies and cash.
 
Leo Robel 95 in Greenpark Pasig
Leo joined us in the operations.  His house was totaled and is no longer livable.  He lost nearly everything.  He was able to salvage some clothes and his golf clubs.  He is staying at a relatives house but will not return to his house. Probably he will try to sell it.  He has practically finished his clean-up so not needing supplies, we gave him cash.
 
3.  We saw the devastation of Pasig and Cainta.  And we didn't even penetrate the slums.  After we help the brods, I am sure with the money being raised that there will be left over.  We must help others. Ollie also strongly suggests this.   We are limited however both in resources and manpower to conduct significant relief operations.  So unless we raise even more funds we will end up donating it to other groups operating already.  This isn't bad either.  The only question is how or who to give these resources to.  
 
I know the brods in the US have been saying this is ground zero so they will trust in our judgment how to use the money raised.  But I think that once the money is spent, only then will people disagree.  So to prevent monday morning quarterbacking (sorry sorry if I have to say this), it is best if you all tell us how to use your donations (AFTER we ATTEND TO THE BRODS) or even how much should be allocated to each brod.  If donating it to another charity/relief organization- what org/s?  Do we donate in cash or purchase goods?
 
4.  Talked with Poti Aparato 77 of the Secretariat of the UPBSFAA.  We will meet later to coordinate efforts, along with Melvir 02 and Dennis Belmonte 86 who is active in QC relief operations.  So UPBSFAA has also raised funds and clothing.  Poti also wants to talk about how we will move forward and what king of relief plan we are talking about.
 
5.  Talked to Brod Ted Topacio 49.  He left money with the UPBSFAA including some earmarked for Nepo.
 
6.  So far we used around P31,000 mostly raised or abono from the OBBF.  Haven't drawn down yet on the monies from the US yet.  
 
Cheers.. Raffy86
 

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MANSYS" <mansys@pldtdsl.net>

10/01/2009 07:34 PM

Dear Brod Norman,

I still don't have my dsl at home so I've resorted to this mobile SmartBro which is not very reliable.

Attached are pictures of Brod Willie's house, with his wife and the OBBF brods who went to the rescue.

Plan to visit Brods Ben Feriols, and Ricky Tolentino (?) very soon, as well as family of Rico Sanchez.  Marami pa yata, Brod.

Cheers pa rin!

Ollie

Update: 10:30AM

Ben Ferriols' is okay, family of Rico Sanchez is also okay.  Brod Ross' house in Binan was waist-deep, but now being cleaned. Declined assistance, in pref for those brods and families in worse condition...

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Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:09:11 -0700
From: ted_top80@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Update on relief for flood victims and affected brods
To: tatang_up@hotmail.com
 

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Brods,
 
In this WORST-THAN-KATRINA situation as Brod Raffy describes, I guess we are duty bound as noble men to make some personal sacrifices in order to help our brothers in need. I am aware that this is outside of our vision and mission but this is a RARE SITUATION where we could go beyond our usual boundaries.
 
It may personally entail just a bit of sacrifice for many of us (like postponing a golf game, or a meal at a restaurant, or buying a luxury item, or downsizing an expensive gift).
 
I will await for pledges (small or big amounts) and I will advance the monies from my personal account. (Pay me later na lang. Let's not use UPBSFI money.) I am now requesting Brod Dan Lachica to exercise special audit functions for this occasions to see to it that all expenses are above board, and that all donations are appropriately received.
 
Some of our Philippine-based younger alumni brods have already responded to Raffy. I hope that you will spare some time this weekend to read your emails so you could respond to this RARE SITUATION, which is actually a good opportunity for us to respond to a worthy need. As Raffy has described, he has seen the best in the Filipino including those in Manila.
 
Let the best in us come out, too.
 
May all the good things we do come back to us in mysterious ways. And even without that, charity for a very worthy cause such as this is always a good and noble act. 
 
With a servant's heart,
 
Willie "Tatang" Vergara

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