He was eighteen years old. He was a construction worker. He saved more than 30 lives. He died… a Filipino hero.

Muelmar Magallanes lay in a coffin at an evacuation center near their riverside village in Manila , yet his life is being told as one would hear that of a Saint’s, or that of an angel’s.

Muelmar was safe at home with his family on Saturday, September 26, 2009, when tropical storm Ketsana unleashed his wrath in Manila and surrounding areas.

The Magallanes family refused to leave home amid the heavy rains, of which they have grown used to. But Muelmar and his father evacuated the entire family when the riverbanks gave way to the rushing water.

Armed with a rope tied to his waist, Muelmar tied his three younger siblings to the string and carried them safely to higher ground. He then came back for his parents. With his entire family safe from the fury of the rampaging flood, Muelmar decided to go back and rescue his neighbors who were trapped on the rooftops of their homes.

He ended up making several trips, and eventually saved more than 30 people.

Exhausted from his exploits, Muelmar was back with his family when he heard a frantic cry of help from one of his neighbors, Ms Penalosa, as she and her 6-month old infant were being swept away on the Styrofoam box they were using as a makeshift lifesaver.

He dived back to the muddy water after the mother and daughter who were already bobbing dangerously among the debris. He again braved the strong current and refused to consider his fatigue until he has brought the Penalosas to safety. Then he was gone.

Witnesses saw his body being carried away by the charging flood water. They can do nothing but watch.

Neighbors found his body on Sunday, along with almost 30 others, who like him, perished in the flood. The official death toll now stands at 240 with more than a hundred missing.

Muelmar Magallanes and many others selflessly sacrificed themselves and has proven that, yes, in the Philippines , chivalry is not dead.

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As of yesterday, NDCC (National Disaster Coordinating Council) had report 246 death toll due to typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) and as I write this article the number of lives taken by the typhoon is still rising and many are still missing.  Ondoy came to Greater Manila and Luzon with wind 85 kph and gusts of 100kph, not really strong for a typhoon.  But really hit the Manila and Luzon area is the heavy rain fall bought by the typhoon.

Ondoy, showered Metro Manila with a one month amount of rain in just a day!¬† The entire metropolitan Manila is 80% underwater, and according to Historians that was the most disastrous typhoon ever hit Metro Manila for at least 400 years.¬† The nine-hour deluge on Saturday (October 26, 2009) turned Manila’s roads into raging rivers, sweeping away cars, properties and even lives that comes into its way. The deluge left some areas of the sprawling city of 12 million people under up to six meters (20 feet) of water, forcing the government to declare a “state of calamity” that allowed authorities to use emergency funds.

Seeing Metro Manila and some part of Luzon during and after the typhoon is heartbreaking.  Dead bodies are found hanging on electric lines, river banks, sidewalks and I had seen on the news a body of a baby hanging on the branches of a tree.   You see miles and miles of people lining up in for food in evacuation centers.   Hard-earned properties were trampled, it seems so hopeless but the word hopeless is not in the vocabulary in Pinoy’s dictionary.

Let me share the blog post written on http://edzoneonline.blogspot.com

Ondoy Revives Bayanihan Spirit

After Typhoon Ondoy devastated major areas from the capital of the Philippines, Metro Manila and all other CALABARZON areas, thousands of our fellow Filipinos are in need of clothing, food, water and money. According to PAGASA, Ondoy set a record for most rainfall in a day, equaling the amount of rainfall Manila receives for an entire month. Ondoy is also considered the most disastrous storm that ever hit the Metro for the past 400 years the least. If you watch the news, I’m sure you’ll feel deeply burdened by the current situation there. I consider my self lucky to still have a home, basic necessities and electricity allowing me to continue blogging about this tragedy.

Two LIVE videos that were shot by ABS-CBN and GMA News really shattered my heart. While I’m still trying to locate some videos of them, I’m just going to explain what happened. ABS-CBN shot a scene wherein two teenagers and a six year old girl was standing on a pile of bamboo, trash and other debris from the raging floods. Then all of a sudden, their path was blocked by a bridge. Only one was able to make it through underneath. Two of them were found dead under the bridge after the flood subsided. On the other hand, GMA News caught in their camera a man carrying a recently rescued six day old baby without any protection from the heavy rain. The baby later died on the evacuation center.

Real sad news right? There are still some reasons to smile about even after the tragedy. I was watching ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Update and guess what, they already gathered 25 Million pesos worth of variety of goods and services and a total of 22 Million pesos cash from our fellow Filipinos locally and abroad. This update was reported 7 PM of September 27th, and I’m sure the figures are still increasing. GMA is also having a fund-raising drive for the victims of Storm Ondoy, unfortunately, I do not have their figures yet. No matter what, this just proves that the spirit of Bayanihan is still alive in the Philippines.

You’re kababayan here back home is needing you’re help.  All kind of help is welcome and appreciated. Pinoygigs.com is not accepting any donation; please forward it NGO and government offices that handles donation.  Below are the links where you can find list of agencies and sites where you can give your donations.

For USA: Follow this link or this http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AneOE-1AdFlOdEJNVmVCdmJkQXRZUmFSQjZFckZXbkE&hl=en

For Online and International (Non-US) Donation Sites: Follow this link or this
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AneOE-1AdFlOdEJNVmVCdmJkQXRZUmFSQjZFckZXbkE&hl=en

Other donation sites and means is posted on the Home Page.

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