thousands dead or missing and tens of thousands injured
millions of Filipinos this place after typing high on
hit the Philippines on November 8 marina Lopez from West Springfield grew up in
st. me exact spot
and still has family members living there today he's a member
palmists the Filipino American Association of New England they're
trying to help as many of their fellow Filipinos out as possible
marina thank you so much for joining me today we're kinda talking about
on this but off-camera little bit before we started the segment about
just the disaster the devastation that asshat in this
area when it first happened what was your first when you first heard about it
happening
or your first thought what immediately came to your mind I worst
the ad begins to warrant because I didn't know
how to get them and then a November 8
I am all the connection is gone
huh I i couldn't get in touch with my brother my nieces
and different town and
it was it was a I was pissed but the whole time just to get
in touch with everyone that who is
on the same town I'm hoping that I can
have a connection with them and a few days later after that
you know people are posting information
and so forth and then it just it was hard
because there's no way I can get in touch with them
and I'm sure people here we're like marina how's your family doing the one
in the matter
it there okay and you're like I don't know yeah
II was people a minute few my friends are
you know asking how they wear and it was just that it was
this not knowing what they're doing and
where they are their display stand you know well that taking care
it was just an efficent agony
inside and there's one point that what one in my
neighbor Outback in Siebel
was telling me that well up that at that point
I was able to get in touch with my mom in a city possible
and with that one thing can you finally got in touch with your brother it took
you almost a week okay you got in touch with your mom Rs
I get in touch with my mom fares I N I asked her
how they're doing will be able to get in touch with them nothing
and every time I talk to her arm should just get
broke down and so comes up when the eighty-one asked her
I am but about a few days ago
I I was able to get in touch with my brother they have
you know talking about everything what happened to them they had to get up from
the shelter because our
a what's going on and shelter date
you know people are getting sick and imagine he has five kids
and you know he was hoping to get back to his home
but you know the get there was gone what was it like that
it take a week for you to get in touch with your brother always that we quite
bring
you had no idea and to finally that is but the week was like that to finally
speak to have and just hear his voice
must've overwhelm juneau lined whole
ru when so many 10 right it was a list
overwhelming I'm I was
just thinking myself that thank God that there there
okay but their home its and
I you know listening to him crying that
you know please help us you know and it's just
permeate broke down good
and they have so much that bowl you write their home they have nothing they
have their lives
but they can't even in the shelter people are dying around them that their
sec
around them and they can't get supplies to them what is something that your
brother
said we're so in desperate need of water what are some things that he mentioned
pulled over there
on a show
a home a shelter I mean they were in a shelter but
the had to get out the shop there because a are there's a lot going on in
a shelter the fighting over food
I'm defying something did just to be able to survive
and the kids have been sick out
people died in a shelter and they can't decant
according to him he can stay in he has to get out
but for him to get out the shelter
not knowing with various homes still standing
it wasn't so according to him
when where spoke to him on the phone
they were I'm he was recycling the
on the left over from his home out make it
well it'll at kinda aqui house
am for them to be able to stay there and then
are I that day they have another ad paid for in its costs to write a
it wasn't as bad as that the you land a
arm in they were just there and he has to go up to the ballet
to to get a connection
so what he did he text me first and he said to me
i mean the mountains right now can you please call me back
so I did and I was that was the that
you know when I get that text message I was it I mean it was a relief
but not quite everything worth done yet
because I haven't heard from a my nieces and my may
brother-in-law from late a
latest is the town where the
their city word all the all white bout that where my
and nieces and are they were in by by city
he dingy hit big butt arm there
the slightly yeah I didn't have power everything dishneau
cells like connection I'm
I wasn't able to hear from them so what i did. idea
send my nephew back in simplicity
to go there to find them took them
it took him about again have to find him have to find them
yes finally hit but both of them are homeless so that's that's a thing as a
No
well at least everything is okay right now
what is your brother saying is their biggest struggle right now he's got a
make sure the house is livable for them to live in but food and water and just
the necessary things to survive
how is he going to fine after his family
arm he is a freelance person
he build houses I'm his
we called here i think is a good all-around man
I'm he he makes houses
so for him losing his house
if if if he's not capable to do that I don't think were
they would be on like what I said he's a
recycling his home by his house is gone
he just put it together so they were able to you have to have a rule
a shelter for them I'm foodways
on they're getting food now they're able just
us yesterday they were able to get some supply
food water I'm from from the town
I'm as far as a home on like this morning
when I spoke to him he was asking still
still need some help to make a roofing
for house or or some kinda the flooring
something I
for me I mean as a sister I mean I'm willing to have the best best I can
and by you want to help so much you're putting together kind of your own many
relief try healing friends are getting together you're gonna send some
stepped your family talk about that yes I'm
I send when my friend that my daughter went to school in san Thomas in West
Springfield
on there the nice about putting things together
so much when my friend told me that you know
write a letter talk to them about how they can help you
even just that you know clothing for kids and stuff
so I do that and my friends who are giving me some boxes a farm
clothing as well cell you know things come together
you now well we wish your family and your brother next time we talked on the
phone please tell Matt
I mean we can send help we can federally pat myself or sending our thoughts and
prayers
with them that I am people together so please keep us updated
thank you thanks for coming help