Sectoral groups and individuals in the Philippines and abroad observed the International Day of Solidarity for victims of the typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) on November 13 by gathering in schools, communities, offices and workplaces, as well as expressing solidarity online.

Lighting candles, offering prayers, songs, and speeches, students, faculty, and employees from two biggest state universities in the country, University of the Philippines-Diliman and Polytechnic University of the Philippines, expressed sympathy and support for the survivors of typhoon Yolanda in Visayas and elsewhere.

In several other gatherings across Metro Manila, people gathered to collect relief goods and conduct programs in solidarity with the victims.

At the same time, they expressed anger at the Aquino government’s ‘ineptitude’ in providing immediate relief, including food and water, to majority of an estimated 4.5 million Filipinos affected by what was billed as one of the strongest typhoons ever.

In front of government agencies and Malacanang Palace, workers led by Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) pressed the Aquino government to speed up the delivery of relief goods to the affected people.

The workers carried  placards that read “RELIEF NOW!” as they picketed in front of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) main offices and in Mendiola Bridge near the presidential palace.

They demanded the immediate release of disaster and pork barrel funds for the relief and rehabilitation in provinces devastated by Yolanda.

“Five days after super typhoon Yolanda hit the country, relief goods from the government have not yet reached many survivors especially in hardly stricken areas. We are calling on the people to give donations and to pressure the government to release all disaster and pork barrel funds for the benefit of Yolanda survivors,” said Roger Soluta, KMU secretary general.

Employees from the financial district in Makati City also joined in. Led by Banking and Financial Unions (BFU 268) and BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN), launched their own relief efforts and put up a freedom wall for people in the area to express solidarity with the victims.

“Let this be a reminder that because of political patronage system, no sturdy evacuation centers built that could withstand typhoons such as Yolanda but make-shift evacuation centers, no reserved lifepacks (food) for typhoon victims that can readily be accessed, no communication system established (government owned and controlled) in calamity prone areas such as Leyte and Samar but reliance to private corporations and insufficient warning as too how typhoon surge can actually do,” said BFU and Bien, in a press statement.

Pressuring DSWD

Women who were formerly victims of Typhoon Ondoy in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City also trooped to the office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to demand immediate relief for the victims of typhoon Yolanda, saying that they know exactly how they feel. Many of the women also have relatives in Leyte and Samar.

Ritchel Diaz, a leader of the local chapter of Gabriela, said that her parents walked for four hours from Albuera, Leyte to try to look for food and water in Ormoc City because no help has reached their town, which was completely devastated by the storm. “Walang bahay na nakatira, lahat nakadapa,” (No house was left standing) was how it was described by her family, who was only able to contact her yesterday.

While thankful that none of her family members were hurt, she fears that lack of food and other basic necessities will turn their situation desperate. Diaz says that people are only eating bananas left from felled trees.

“Dapat hindi lang sa mga siyudad ang relief ng gobyerno. Dapat suyurin nila ang mga kasuluk-sulukan kasi doon mas walang kakayahan ang mga tao,” (The government should not limit its relief to the cities. They should also scour the interiors where the people have limited resources) she said.

Nerissa Guerrero, spokesperson on Samakana, said that relief efforts by community-based women under Lingap Gabriela is encouraging. “People give what they have, even if they are poor. They give from their sari-sari stores and their scant savings,” she said.

She said that they held an action in front of DSWD to demand that the agency deliver immediate relief to typhoon victims. “Gusto lang namin kalampagin, kasi baka natutulog,” (We just want to rouse them because they might be sleeping) she said, referring to government officials who are being criticized for their slow response to the crisis.

The women carried placards urging that foreign aid be given directly to the victims, and warning government officials against corrupting these funds like the pork barrel funds.

Gabriela also demanded that the National Food Authority distribute free rice to the victims, and not anymore sell them, even at discounted prices. It is referring to the tons of imported rice confiscated by the Bureau of Customs, intended for the victims of earlier typhoon Pablo in Compostela Valley.

“The rice did not reach typhoon victims then. It must reach typhoon victims now,” Guerrero said.

Filipinos abroad act

Different country chapters of Migrante International led solidarity actions and prayer vigils.

“OFWs feel that the national government, apart from press conferences, is not doing anything on the ground. They feel that the national government is also paralyzed. While they call on fellow OFWs and citizens from their host countries to gather as much support as they can, they are in a quandary to explain to them why and how much-needed relief is not being urgently made available and accessible to those in need,” said Garry Martinez, Migrante International chairperson.

In different places in the United States, Europe, Hong Kong and other countries, Filipinos gathered and called on people to donate and help out in relief efforts.

“At this time, we believe there is a responsibility for employers to recognise the extraordinary difficulties and pressures on some of their employees from the Philippines, and we call upon them to respond in a responsible and compassionate way,” said Rafael Joseph Maramag, secretary of Kanlungan, an alliance of Filipino organizations in the United Kingdom.

In Woodson, New York, Americans and members of Filipino organizations led by the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (Nafcon) held a community forum and candle vigil.

Nafcon also held donation drives and vigils in other parts of the United States.

“The donations are going straight to our networks on the ground in the worst-hit areas, some of whom are still waiting for clean water, clothing and shelter. We can start building the infrastructure immediately,” said Terry Valen, Nafcon president in San Francisco, California, in an interview with SFGate.com.

Relief drive intensifies

Local as well as international organizations intensified relief drive and call for donations as news about the dire situation in many areas in the Visayas pour in.

The National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP), meanwhile, have received volunteers from urban poor communities, employees and students in repacking relief goods provided by the ACT Alliance, an international alliance of church groups. The NCCP is calling for more volunteers, and plans to provide relief to the more remote towns in Samar and Panay, which have received little government or media attention.

Balsa, the relief drive initiated by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance, Bayan), announced that it has dispatched a team to Tacloban City and other parts of Visayas to independently assess the situation on the ground, even as international media reports validate criticisms that Aquino government had been “too slow”in delivering immediate relief for the victims.

Photos of various activities commemoration the International Day of Solidary and Action for Yolanda victims: