Philppines

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#1
The hurricane went right over my wife's city and there has been no contact with her parents for a couple days. Even the airport has been destroyed. My sister-in-law is in Batangas so is safe but Tacloban took a huge hit with winds of up to 190 miles per hour. We are very worried.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#2
It's very sad to watch the news today and see all the destruction. My thoughts are with you and your wife and her family.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#3
What was shocking is that the first picture of the storm that we saw showed the eye of the storm right over her city. Very scary. There is no cell phone connection and no aid has gotten to her island as far as I know.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#4
My wife just got home and has been on the phone with her sister. What a mess. Her sister is like a rock but now is crying uncontrollably. Some of the family is going to Samar (for you filipinos who know where it is) and then are going to try to walk to Leyte. I suspect their family is on the west side of Tacloban so that will be a helluva walk. Maybe 15 miles so maybe not so bad. Samar is connected to Leyte with a bridge if it is still standing. This is no joke.

This is a record hurricane. I know some people don't believe in global warming (screw science) but the fact is that as the water warms, more and more evaporates. Then it comes down in the form of rain. It's a simple concept.

If her parents are OK, they are coming to live with me unless their papers have been lost. That's a huge risk given how incompetent our INS is. I've dealt with them before and they are not helpful when LEGAL aliens try to enter the country. I'll worry about the damn INS when I find out if my in-laws are OK. No food and water is a certainty. Shelter is not a given either. Gotta vent somewhere and my wife doesn't need to hear this at the moment.
 

Warhawk

The cake is a lie.
Staff member
#6
I am hoping for the best for your family and all those hammered by this natural disaster. Hope you hear from them soon.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#9
Can't even spell Philippines. Duh! Relatives in the US are sending money to the Philippines (Luzon - the island Manila is on) to help relatives in their search. It sounds a little desperate but the plan would be to get to Samar and walk to Tacloban on Leyte. Not sure it would work but what the heck. The Red Cross is in the Philippines but I don't know if they can get to Leyte. Donate to the Red Cross. It won't help in this specific case but they are very helpful and really the only hope for news as of now. I assume the US will send help and I hope it doesn't take an action of Congress to do it.

DONATE!!!
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#10
Parents were found. Somehow a satellite phone or phones were delivered and they got internet connection. Internet connection??? Wow! One of the cousins actually communicated with mom and dad via internet. Hard to believe. Also although the buildings at the airport which were shacks anyway were destroyed but the landing strip was able to handle a C130 so lots of aid will be able to be delivered.

If not for modern technology this could have been far worse than it was. Amazing. This has been a long few days.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#11
with 170mph winds its amazing anything is left standing at all. Sandy messed this place up bad and winds weren't even 100mph. I don't know what you even do with 170mph. Find a concrete bunker I guess. A concrete bunker at least 20 feet above the ground to avoid the 19ft waves. smh.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#12
If you look at this video you will see almost nothing is left standing. Many are dead; probably thousands in Tacloban which isn't the biggest city in the world. What I fear now is that the family will lose everything including a lot of paperwork as we were in the process of moving the in-laws to Sacramento. There is so much looting and lawlessness that Red Cross and the like fears going into the neighborhoods. Mom and dad are near home so maybe are defending it if there is anything to defend.

At least they are alive.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#13
After watching the evening news tonight, it is even more incredible that you've been able to get word about your wife's family.
 
#14
Glenn, my thoughts and prayers are with you and you wife and her family. Actually, they are with all of the Philippine people as they try to survive this destruction and death. From pictures and videos I know I only get some small idea of the utter devastation. I cannot imagine what it must really be like.

I know some Philippinos here and living in Hawaii. My heart just hurts for all.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#15
My in-laws who have a brother living across the street have been delivered a shot gun so are defending their homes from bands of looters. Fortunately my sister-in-law has a cop for a husband. The troubles will go on long after we have forgotten.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#16
My in-laws who have a brother living across the street have been delivered a shot gun so are defending their homes from bands of looters. Fortunately my sister-in-law has a cop for a husband. The troubles will go on long after we have forgotten.
As more and more film comes out on the devastation, I'm amazed that anyone survived. Humans are incredibly resilient.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#17
The estimate of the number of deaths has been lowered to roughly 1500 or so. Fortunately my in-laws are younger than I so fully capable of handling themselves. Aircraft carriers from England and US are coming but it will take a couple days. Then a fleet of copters will be able to unload tons of water a day. That's the crucial part but I don't know what on earth everybody is drinking now. My wife's uncle across the street owns a store and has been distributing rice and goods to the neighbors. If my father-in-laws water supply survived, at least this family is in good shape. There should be enough for neighbors. Almost no one has a water supply but he is handy. There never has been a water supply to this neighborhood except when they let people load up for the day by turning on water early in the morning. Odd. My father-in-law is a contractor so the homes survived. There are enough relatives in the area to form a small army. Transportation must be decent or the shotgun wouldn't have arrived but I suspect that cops can hitch a ride on a military plane.

I don't know if people can comprehend how isolated this is. It has an airport and that's it. It is amazing how quickly the US jumped into action.
 
#18
Glenn: I guess the relatively short runway is an issue in this disaster. Apparently, their small regional airport runway not long enough for large transports - needing 8,000-10,000+ feet. At least US and UK aircraft carriers are arriving very soon. USN carrier was in Hongkong on shore leave, so not far away when called back for humanitarian mission. Short Tacloban runway means big transport aircraft like USAF C-17 could have been on ground there days ago providing round the clock flights, tons of emergency supplies, but at least smaller RPAF C-130, etc. got in right away.
 
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Glenn

Hall of Famer
#19
C130s have been able to land and they are biggest transport planes we have. The Philippines air force has three of them. Helicopters will be added to the mix in a couple days and they don't need an airport so maybe some place will be cleared farther away from the airport/ I doubt that is possible but it would be nice if they could unload nearer the city. The airport is outside the city and way on the opposite side of where my in-laws live.

Google Osprey and you will see the kinds of helicopters being used already. They are huge and the engines can be altered so they fly like a plane. Pretty amazing.
 
#20
Yes, very familiar with Osprey aircraft. I suppose those ones in pictures at Tacloban airport today flew in from Anderson AFB, Guam or possibly Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Just a guess unless they are part of advance team from deck of US carrier George Washington as it gets set to arrive off Leyte Island coast.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#23
I have spent roughly 6 months in Tacloban in the last 10 years and it is difficult to comprehend that it doesn't exist anymore. It is also difficult to grasp that I know lot of those people. It is difficult being here when the trouble is there. There is nothing I could do but still....

None of those pictures showed Nula Tula and I doubt if cameramen wandered that far from the airport.
 
#24
Just noticed that more pics added to original set. I assume the link will be up for awhile and more pic added in coming days.
 
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Glenn

Hall of Famer
#25
IKEA has donated $2.7 million and China has donated $2 million. China has a long way to go to become a member of the world's community. For those that do not know, a significant fraction of the Philippine's population is of Chinese descent. There also is an ongoing squabble between China and Philippines and I guess politics trumps humanity. Mega impressed by IKEA.

The aircraft carrier George Washington and all that comes with it have arrived. Now the REAL aid begins. I am not being nationalistic but it is simply the truth. I hope they build an Osprey landing pad near my in-laws' house because they have been very isolated. I think the bridge to Samar is open and that's on the proper side as far as I am concerned.

BTW, has anyone but me been on board one of these air craft carriers? Wow!!! The crew is 6000 and I grew up in a town of 1800 as a comparison.
 
#26
BTW, has anyone but me been on board one of these air craft carriers? Wow!!! The crew is 6000 and I grew up in a town of 1800 as a comparison.
I've been aboard two nuclear powered aircraft carriers. One was first ever nuke powered USS Enterprise (now retired) in 1963 as USAF dependent while it was anchored off Med. coast at Beirut, Lebanon. My dad got family VIP pass from US attache friend at Beirut embassy. We were stationed/living at NATO base in Southern Turkey and on summer vacation at the time to tour Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Jerusalem (Holy Land). I was 10 years old but remember it well. Much later as an adult I went aboard USS Carl Vinson during fleet week at Alameda NAS in the Bay Area. Got a cool CVN-70 (Vinson) commanders cap from that giant flat top visit. Both carriers were indeed small cities, amazing spectacles for keeping the peace and in this case a noble humanitarian mission to save lives.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#27
I've been aboard two nuclear powered aircraft carriers. One was first ever nuke powered USS Enterprise (now retired) in 1963 as USAF dependent while it was anchored off Med. coast at Beirut, Lebanon. My dad got family VIP pass from US attache friend at Beirut embassy. We were stationed/living at NATO base in Southern Turkey and on summer vacation at the time to tour Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Jerusalem (Holy Land). I was 10 years old but remember it well. Much later as an adult I went aboard USS Carl Vinson during fleet week at Alameda NAS in the Bay Area. Got a cool CVN-70 (Vinson) commanders cap from that giant flat top visit. Both carriers were indeed small cities, amazing spectacles for keeping the peace and in this case a noble humanitarian mission to save lives.
If I'm not mistaken, our very own Mr. Slim was stationed on board the Carl Vinson for a while.

And I had the privilege of being invited to attend a dependent's day cruise on the Enterprise back in the early 70s. It was an experience I shall never forget.

I found this on Wikipedia:

On 1 December 2012, during the presentation of a pre-recorded speech at the inactivation ceremony for Enterprise (CVN-65), U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced that CVN-80 would be named Enterprise.[3] She will be the ninth ship and the third aircraft carrier in the history of the United States Navy to bear the name.[2]
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#28
Apparently Anderson Cooper, who is in Tacloban, was criticized for telling the truth. The President directed newsman to tell uplifting stories of filipino heroism. What Anderson reported was an almost total absence of a Philippines army or much of any presence even at the airport. A local reporter criticized a blonde American reporter. She is the wife of the man in charge of disastor relief. Anderson invited her to come to Tacloban. She eventually appeared in Ormoc which I have also been in. It's on the opposite side of the island and I doubt if she could break a fingernail there.

The reports are on Youtube and show a visibly fatigued and moved Anderson Cooper with Korina Sanchez safely in her Manila studio looking pretty.
 
#29
I have lived in Turkey, Portugal (Azores Islands), Thailand, Philippines, besides several U.S. states. Spent two years of high school at Clark AFB, Angeles City (Wagner H.S.) and was fortunate to travel around Philippines on vacation (space available flights) to see several other parts of 7000+ island chain. Over the years have been back several times to RP and have now been to Luzon, Mindanao, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Panay, plus few other very small islands in Visayas. While I loved my time in Philippines I was always taken back by its deep corruption, abject poverty, and history of serial domination. First domination by nearly 400 years of Spanish colonial rule. Immediately after that long history, domination by U.S. for half century (including Japanese occupation during WWII) to what today is political/economic control by 300 families of so-called Chinese-Filipino oligarch. The current President of RP is another part of that traditional Chinese family domination. Fundamentally Filipino society is three tiered caste system with this pecking order. Chinese, Mestizo (mixed Spanish blood line) and everyone else. While I've been to many countries with endemic corruption, RP is by far the worst. It's held back development of overall infrastructure for many decades, although I do sense some decent progress in last few years despite all the horrendous problems with corruption, bad politics, etc. Over the years I've been to East Asia a lot, only to see Philippines fall further and further behind many of its South East Asia "economic Tiger" neighbors like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, even Viet Nam. No wonder Philippines number one export is its people who in the tens of millions are living, working abroad. I probably will always make some trips back to the paradise islands because it's true that for most part Filipino people are very warm hearted, staunch US allies, and could really use any breaks from tourists or anyone else in the world to help them develop. Tourist dollars and getting it into hands of Filipino people at bottom of food chain is I suppose my little ongoing contribution.

BTW, I've been watching bit of CNN and Anderson Cooper's reports from Tacloban and Manila. He's doing great job telling the truth, while fundamentally failing its people once again RP gov't is not. Now trying to manipulate media to make it seem they are doing wonderful job assisting disaster relief in Leyte, Samar, Cebu, etc.

Interesting little report from todays Bee on The Philippines and this natural disaster effect on its economy.

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/11/14/5913453/typhoon-to-drag-philippine-growth.html
 
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Glenn

Hall of Famer
#30
PurpleHaze. Nice summary. The money is controlled at the top. I saw a picture of some aid sent to the Philippines and it said "Do not send to the government." It is absolutely predictable that the rich people at the top will skim off as much as they can take if not simply to resell the donated goodies. President after President has been a crook although this latest may be relatively decent. Families control and stay in control. Imelda Marcos came from Tacloban and every mayor dating back to her has been from her family. Becoming an elected office is seen as a way to riches and not as a civil responsibility. You can count on any elected official or appointed governmental appointment to be there mainly for the opportunity to get rich. The people are ignored for the most part. There is no coincidence that a leading TV personality is the wife of their Interior Secretary or whatever he is called. The power stays at the top.

Nobody is doing anything and Cooper is reporting on that not to expose anything but in dismay. He is dismayed that a government is doing very, very little. If you live as close to a block or two away from the airport, you get nothing. The government just dumps things at the airport and gets out of there. There is a makeshift medical facility at the airport but they have no basic medicines. Why? How difficult is it for the government to unload medicine at the airport? The bodies lay rotting in the streets after a week. Now they are unrecognizable.

On the personal level, my wife's neighborhood didn't even have running water before the hurricane. In a practical sense, the crooks at the top would have to be willing to give up some of their riches to fix the infrastructure. It is difficult for Americans to understand a 220,000 population city where parts have no running water. Forget the idea of hot water. Between 3 and 4 AM someone turns on a major water source and everyone goes to the spigot and loads up their containers of water for the day's needs. It's just part of life. My father -in-law built a huge water tank so had it better than most. He built it about 5 years ago because his two daughters married people with money and were generous

Now they get to start over. The Americans have literally landed and now the aid will start to flow. Obviously they will need permission from the do nothing government but water and food will be distributed and for me, that means my in-laws will finally get some help. I am hoping for a landing pad to be built for the Ospreys inside the city and on the opposite side of the city. Shouldn't be difficult to clear the streets although none of that has occurred yet. None! It blows me away that from day one, Taiwan had offered to send a huge generator to the airport so they could land planes 24 hours a day but it was turned down. ???? There is a curiosity in the upper echelon Filipino mentality that although they don't want to waste their money on the people, when it gets exposed, they don't want anyone to know. They probably are embarrassed that they need aid from small Taiwan so didn't accept it. I wrote above that the President sent a directive to foreign reporters to focus on the good stories and not the bad. Cooper was simply reporting what was there and what WASN'T there and that wasn't what the President wanted the world to know.

The Filipino citizens are a money pit for those in charge.

I wonder if they will even rebuild the city. It's not like anyone is insured and certainly the government will be of little use. The people are now being told to leave the city. How? I don't know. My in-laws will they move in with me and temporarily will find some solution on Luzon.

It is not an accident that the largest tornado on record hit the US 6 months ago, New York and New Jersey were hot by a hurricane a year ago, and now the Philippines have been hit by the largest hurricane in history. It is a simple fact that when water warms, it evaporates, and sooner or later it comes down in one form or another and there should be no surprise that weather is changing for the worse. Well, unless you don't believe in global warming.