My Relief to Guiuan Samar Victims of Typhoon Yolanda Haiyan

By: Garry S. Pagaspas, CPA

I had been hearing about the strength of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name – Haiyan) and was confident as Eastern Samar and Leyte are favorite routes of 19 to 20 typhoons a year so people are used to it based on experiences of past years. After the storm has passed last Friday (9 November 8, 2013), we lost contact with our family members and relatives and maintain such confidence until a news feed of Ted Failon from ABS-CBN News on the worst impact of Super typhoon Yolanda on Tacloban City, Leyte alarmed us. Without wasting much time, I along with some sisters and brothers decided to go home Eastern Samar (Lawa-an and Guiuan), and Tacloban CIty, Leyte to check on our family members, relatives, and friends.

We drove last Saturday night (11PM, November 9, 2013) for 25 hours to Guiuan, E. Samar to check on my family members, relatives, friends and neighbors and just got back earlier today (5am) after a very long and sleepy drive from Guiuan to Imus, Cavite (32 hours from 8PM Thursday to 6am Saturday). Along the way last Monday (Nov. 11, 2013), we heard that road to Guiuan, Eastern Samar is not passable so we left the vehicle (Toyota Innova 2013 Model) at Calbiga, Western Samar, a one-hour ride to Tacloban City, Leyte on Sunday, 12 midnight arrival. Early morning of Monday, 11 November 2011 we divided our team and moved to Tacloban City, Leyte, and Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Philippines respectively.

Thanks God my family is safe and no casualty. The 63-year old house of my maternal grandfather was totally destroyed and my parents in Brgy Tagpuro, Guiuan, Eastern Samar are lucky enough their heads fit in the hole of the concrete stairs when the house was destroyed at about 3:00AM during the Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Thereafter, they crossed the street but strong winds of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) rolled them on knee-water street so they sit back. They crawled and held at the back bumper of our 1998 FX model vehicle in preparation for next attempt to neighbor’s home for refuge. My father’s second attempt to cross to another neighbor was successful, but on my mothers second, she was rolled again by strong winds so she crawled and successfully made it. They stayed on the concrete neighbors house until Super Typhoon Yolanda winds stopped.

A teacher brother in Lawa-an, Eastern Samar almost got hit also by the fall of the roof of neighbor’s house seconds after they left to seek refuge in the lower concrete portion of our house. Another brother in Brgy. Picas, Tacloan City was lucky enough not to seek evacuation in Tacloban Dome, Leyte hit by the storm surge.

My other relatives experienced the almost deadly encounter but successfully survived. An aunt in Pagnamitan, Guiuan E. Samar fell down when the 2nd floor was hit by seawater waves but fell down on a tree so she hugged the same and held the tree trunk by her life despite the heavy waves smashing her – inhale and hold breath as soon as above head waves smash her and exhale thereafter. Water in Dumpao-Sapao, Guiuan E. Samar rose to the level of the coconut trees and they were lucky to have evacuated earlier than the storm surge. Unfortunately, all their houses, belongings, effects, and properties were swift by the strong waves of sea water leaving themselves nothing but their lives.

As a matter of gratitude for the safety of my parents, family members and relatives, and in an effort to help the residents in the community of Sapao and Tagpuro, Guiuan, E. Samar, Philippines our family is launching relief operations for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda (international name, Haiyan). On short-term, we are raising funds to pay for the truck or bus rental that will transport relief goods. We estimate P50k plus P15k diesel per truck and we are counting on our friend’s and colleagues kind hearts to raise enough funds.

To my friends and colleagues, I personally seek your financial assistance to fund our relief operations. Here are my bank account numbers you can please make deposit for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan)or you may course through money remittance centers under my name:

Account Name: Garry S. Pagaspas

Address: B18 L19, The Istana Subdivision, City of Imus, Cavite

BDO Savings Acct. No.208-0164267 (People Support Makati Branch, Ayala Avenue corner Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City)
BPI Savings Acct. No. 1736-0879-25 (Paseo De Rojas, Makati Branch)

Above accounts had been emptied as of today and will be monitored to your donations for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan). Any amount will do and will be highly appreciated. Thank you in advance for the donations. may God Bless us all!

Garry is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a law degree holder in tax practice for about ten (10) years now helping out taxpayers on tax compliance, tax savings, tax assessments, tax refunds, and other related professional tax services. He is presently a frequent speaker of Tax and Accounting Center, Inc. and you may send him mail at garry.pagaspas(@)taxacctgcenter.org.

Disclaimer: This article is an accommodation to the personal cause of our beloved Resource Speaker and Consultant as part of our corporate social responsibility. For comments, you may also please send mail at info(@)taxacctgcenter.org, or you may post a question at Tax and Accounting Center Forum and participate therein.