Brookside International Village: Typhoon May 13th, 2008

May 17th Update from Brookside Here. Thanks to generous donors we raised over $5000 for immediate assistance and building materials to help brookside rebuild. The river has been diverted and a reinforced sandbag wall has been added. Long term solutions are being worked on, but for now the residents are back on track with their lives - thank you so much for donating!



Brookside International Village near Quezon City, Philippines suffered a major natural diaster on Tuesday May 13th, 2008 where early that day around 3am they experienced a natural calamity when rains from a  typhoon destroyed the dike wall along the river causing all the debris, chemicals and pollution from up stream to flood through their streets and through their homes. Lastest Update Here. Water levels raged as high as 7 feet and mud and debris washed through the town.  Mud was up to 4 feet high and trapped residents in their flooding house such that one family had to bore through the roof to escape death.  The second story of our water tower project allowed them to put the small children in safe place as everyone was evacuated.  Fortunately no one was killed! At present, the Rotary Club of Loyola Heights together with other volunteer good samaritans are doing clearing operations and distributing pack meals.   We are doing hands on work in this place. Some  officers and members are there everyday, foregoing their work and helping in the clearing and providing counsel to the residents. The task is so huge.

Checks can be made for Tax Deductible Donations. We now have a tax free account with District 5000 called "RC of Kihei-Wailea Brookside Relief". All checks should be made to "The District 5000 Rotary Foundation", and in the memo line write "RC Kihei-Wailea Brookside Relief". We can give tax receipts for checks, online payments are not tax deductible but will support Brookside 100%

Please mail checks to RC Kihei-Wailea, 2690 Kauhale Street, Kihei, HI 96753. Contact Us via email at Mark@Maui360Tours.com or by phoning (808) 344-3141 for any questions or assistance. Thank you again for your donation!

100% of the families lost all their possessions, their clothes, small refrigerators, small radios, all their savings in their lives. All of these are all useless.  The only possessions they have are what they wore during the tragedy. Donate a little online now HERE.

We’d like to request your help and support with monetary donations(due to cost and time of shipping) for food, clothing, blankets and for material and equipment costs for clean-up, repair of  damaged homes and property for approximately 1200 residents in 300 Rotary built homes.  You can see the damage in the attached photographs.  All donations will be managed by the Rotary Club of Loyola Heights and distributed quickly and fairly as they have done for years – they are a tested partner in Rotary and need some help.

Due to the Rotary club of Loyola Heights, and District 5000 Governor George Fountain in the water tank project completed in 2006 these people had fresh water to drink and to clean with.  They are so appreciative, but still in shock of all that was destroyed. People were injured by flowing debris and due to the heavy amount of pollution all personal belonging's are to be destroyed. Thanks to the rotary club and founders Jess Cifra and International Chair Ramon Soriano these people have cement homes that were not washed away in the flood.  As you may be aware these homes have been built by the donations of many and if they were still wood and cardboard houses such as pre-2000 many people would have died.  Rotary also helped urge the government to cement the road which also saved much damage during this event.  It’s so great Rotary directly saved lives in this typhoon, but after this ‘first time ever’ disaster they need some of our help.

The place is still a mess. Debris and toxic materials lie in the streets.  Residents are depressed and feel a bit helpless. Volunteers are there but lack shovels, picks, carts, sacks to fill up the garbage and debris. We also need more food and life's necessities. More rain in on the way so time is of the essence.

Disaster Photographs
May 13, 2008