Relief Operations for Pangpang, Palapag N. Samar, Philippines

On December 15, 2015 a tropical cyclone, known internationally as Melor (local name Nona), made its first landfall in the Philippines right a few miles from our small coastal village Pangpang which is located on the Northeastern most part of Samar Island, Philippines. This typhoon is the strongest one to hit our province Nothern Samar, Philippines. It has a wind velocity of about 155 kph.

The people of our village are already poor. They rely mainly onwhat they can harvest then sell from copra making (produced from coconut). This is the fourth very devastating typhoon to hit our province and our village in a span of two years. The people were still struggling economically as a result of the devastation done by the previous three devastating typhoons namely: Haiyan (Yolanda), Rammasun (Glenda) and Hagupit (Ruby), and now being hit again so severely that the majority of their houses are destroyed or washed away. It would take years or a decade before the coconut trees can bear its fruits again. Really, the damage on the livelihoodof the people are immense.

We, the people who are or were from Pangpang, Palapag Northern Samar, Philippines, but are no longer permanent residents of Pangpang, are taking the initiative to make this appeal to kind-hearted individuals to ask for financial help to support the people of Pangpang. We are writing this appeal on the third day after the devastating typhoon happened; still the national media have not really covered the scoop of devastation there and the national and local governments are also not doing anything until now to help the people of our village.

With your help, we will be able to provide food, medicine, blankets and perhaps shelter, and livelihood. May the blessings you granted to our needy people be compounded in your own lives. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.