Sampaguita

Dear Fodor’s readers,

As many of you know I contribute regularly on the Italian forums and some of you have stayed in our B&B near Asti in Piedmont. My wife Rina is originally from the Philippines and you may have seen on the news, the Philippines has been struck by another disastrous typhoon, this one aptly named “Durian” (or “Reming” in Philippines), which slammed into Bicol province, triggering of deadly mudflows from the active Mt. Mayon volcano that buried surrounding communities, leaving a toll of death and devastation.

Unfortunately the Philippines is struck by some 20 or so typhoons a year, but this one had a direct impact on us at Villa Sampaguita as Rina’s was born in Bicol and Camalig, the town where she grew up and many close relatives live, is in the middle of one of the hardest hit zones. Camalig is normally sheltered from typhoons and not directly on the mountain slopes, but it was not spared this time. After 3 days news is beginning to trickle through that everyone in her family has survived but all their houses and farmland has been destroyed and buried under tons of mud, sand and rocks. Fortunately her parental home is very strong and although it was flooded up to the 2nd floor, it has survived as a place of refuge and by providence her son arrived to stay with us in Italy the day before the typhoon hit.

However all of her family has lost everything, homes, possessions, crops, and not even any food. The Philippine government has declared the area a national disaster zone and released emergency funds, but the country is not rich and there are so many natural disasters each year, so apart from immediate relief, there will not be a massive rebuilding like in New Orleans.

There are so many disasters in this world that we are often afflicted with disaster “burn-out” but it becomes very real when it actually touches you in person.

Of course we are doing what we can to help and have set up our own relief fund to help her family to rebuild their houses and restore their farms, and we would like to appeal to Fodors readers if they can make a donation in the spirit of Christmas and international goodwill to the Red Cross International Response Fund at http://www.redcross.org/news/in/prof..._mudslide.html - Overview

See also Bicol region faces dark Christmas in wake of ‘Reming’ at http://newsinfo.inq7.net/breakingnew...ticle_id=36545

And if a picture expresses a 1000 words http://www.inq7.net/index_network.htm

I apologize for using this forum in this manner, but we would appreciate if the readers could spare some goodwill if not in kind, in spirit.

Thanking all of you and all the best for the holiday season

Tim Brewer
Villa Sampaguita

annabelle2

This caught my attention since one of my brothers was just in the Philippines on business right before the typhoon hit...I lived in typhoon areas of Asia during my childhood, and know how devastating they often are.

Sorry to hear about your wife's family; you reminded me how small the world can be and how a disaster can really "hit home."

My main love of travel stems from a desire to learn about and make connections with other places and people; with that in mind, I find it completely appropriate to mention your situation on this forum.

Dukey

TTT

FainaAgain

The international red cross has a link to the local Philippine red cross

http://www.redcross.org.ph/

bobthenavigator

Tim, We are so sorry to hear of this terrible disaster and the effect on Rina's family. We will certanly make a contribution to the Red Cross and will pray that others will too.

Clifton

Tim,

It's a good gesture, reminding people about the need right now. People who travel might even be more prone to connect in some way to people around the world.

We've been sponsoring two children in different villages in the Philippines now for a good many years. Both villages are in Albay province (in Bicol region). We think one is ok after the storms, the other is near Tabaco and they haven't reached that area yet. It probably reads as overstated since we've never met them, but with having a picture each year from each of them and after writing regular letters back and forth first with their parents when they were little and now with them personally, well, I guess I really don't know what to say. But we'll take you up on your suggestion to help and add to the Red Cross funds and thanks again for the thought.

Clifton

And to add my best thoughts for Rina's family as well. I hope progress is made as quickly as possible.