Maybe you know this, maybe you don't, but over the news the past few days, there has been talk of a tremendous typhoon that hit the Philippines...Typhoon Haiyan. 

Nine million plus people have been severely affected...homes destroyed, lack of food, water, and/or shelter. There has been attempts for international relief efforts, but it is hard to reach places that were strongly impacted, and those who need the help the most are trying to survive the best they can before help and supplies reach them. 

Typhoon Haiyan is said to be among the world's strongest storms in history, one that has led to more than nine hundred deaths (and unfortunately still climbing). 

For anyone reading this, please try to do the best you can to support anyone you know who may have ties to the Philippines, and if you can help out with the Red Cross and such, it would be great. 

And for anyone here who has been affected by this typhoon in any way, just know, there are people who deeply care, and are terribly sorry that this has happened. It truly is unfortunate. 

900 is a bit few, it's currently 10,000 deaths and a lot more aren't being counted yet. Visayas (middle part of the Philippines) is the one that got hit by the storm, typhoon Haiyan (or typhoon Yolanda here locally) also had 6 strong landfalls in Visayas before leaving the country for good.

Just a short while before that was the killer earthquake that also took many lives and destroyed many houses, buildings, and dozens of our heritage catholic churches(hundreds year old). Visayas was also the only one that got affected by the said earthquake.

The Visayans/bisaya (people living in Visayas) were in the middle of trying to recover from the earthquake when the typhoon came, so they were totally unprepared/not yet ready for it. If you're watching the news and seeing news covers that are showing what Visayas looks like right now, it's a mix of the earthquake and the typhoon's effects. There's no food, communication, medicine, water... looting is also a major problem but they can't really be blamed.

As for the bright side, Luzon and Mindanao (Northern and Southern parts; each is a lot bigger than Visayas) weren't affected by the typhoon. There were only some mild rain and wind in Luzon when the typhoon entered the Philippines' area of responsibility up 'till its landfalls and exit.

If you're still wondering why I know these information... yes, I'm from Philippines. I'm in Luzon and our family's home is also in here. That's not the main reason why I'm thankful Luzon wasn't affected though. Luzon is Philippines' center of economy and source of supplies. The main government houses and embassies are also in Luzon, international airports, and main offices of different companies like communication companies... so if Luzon got hit by the typhoon Haiyan, Philippines would totally be paralyzed and it would be really really hard for other countries to help us.

We from Luzon and the other people from Mindanao are trying our best to help Visayas. Right now, Me and my classmates have been volunteering in Philippine Red Cross to help the typhoon victims. It's been pretty easy for us to register as volunteers (relief goods packers)since our University has its own Red Cross group. I think I've also donated all my allowance for this month so I'm currently living through spending my savings... I can't do anything else more than that though... I'd really love to go to Visayas now and help there but I doubt my parents would approve since it's currently dangerous in there. Plus, I also have school and I can't really neglect it.

The government is trying its best to clear the roads. Once its done, it would be easy for both public and private sectors to transport stuff and help the residents of Visayas. I think they'll fix the communication problem next after fixing the transportation.

If you want to help but just can't think of anything that's possible to do to help due to different reasons, prayers from Vizzed board community would really be appreciated (We are mainly a catholic country), or a simple wish for things to get better here will do as well if you aren't a christian or you don't believe in god and religion. Also, thank you very much for everyone's help and concern.

Juliet : It's great to hear this story from a Filipino's perspective, not that the news is always wrong, but you can explain with better ease and clarity, that's for sure.

I'm very impressed (but not surprised) that you are helping out so much, I wish there was more that we all could do too... 10,000 people is a terribly high number... then counting all the families that have lost a close member, it's horrifying.

Thanks again for explaining this so well, and you are to be commended to helping out as best you can.