ral
Fish Herder
I am sorry if this is not the right place to post this. But I felt a need too. A few days ago a landslide entomed the town of Guinsaugon. Some 1300-1800 are missing and presumed dead. I just received news that the rescuers may have found more people alive at a school where 250 students and teachers were buried in a mountain of mud.
Digging at that site are search and rescue teams from my own country, local miners, a contingent of United States Marines, rescuers from Taiwan and Malaysia. A Spanish Team with special sniffer dogs are also at the disaster site. The rains continue and these rescuers have to work in mud four stories high and under the risks of renewed mudslides. The ground is so soft, helicopters cannot fly over and heavy equipment cannot be brought in. So with shovels, spades and bear hands they dig.
China, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Singapore and probably a few other countries have pledge aid. The amount of aid pledge by these countries has been as high as $1,000,000. These are not mere token pledges. The American effort involves 1,000 marines, 17 helo's and two warships.
I will never be able to thanks the gallant rescuers, medics and soldiers who are helping my countrymen, nor the world community for their generous aid. I did realize that in this forum, one of the few international forums I frequent, I could thank the fathers, mothers, friends and countrymen of the people who even now are doing everything they can to find survivors, with little by way of sleep, food or rest. And so I extend my sincerest thanks to you and your countrymen. In times of darkness the light really shines through.
Roberto Lim
Philippines
Digging at that site are search and rescue teams from my own country, local miners, a contingent of United States Marines, rescuers from Taiwan and Malaysia. A Spanish Team with special sniffer dogs are also at the disaster site. The rains continue and these rescuers have to work in mud four stories high and under the risks of renewed mudslides. The ground is so soft, helicopters cannot fly over and heavy equipment cannot be brought in. So with shovels, spades and bear hands they dig.
China, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Singapore and probably a few other countries have pledge aid. The amount of aid pledge by these countries has been as high as $1,000,000. These are not mere token pledges. The American effort involves 1,000 marines, 17 helo's and two warships.
I will never be able to thanks the gallant rescuers, medics and soldiers who are helping my countrymen, nor the world community for their generous aid. I did realize that in this forum, one of the few international forums I frequent, I could thank the fathers, mothers, friends and countrymen of the people who even now are doing everything they can to find survivors, with little by way of sleep, food or rest. And so I extend my sincerest thanks to you and your countrymen. In times of darkness the light really shines through.
Roberto Lim
Philippines
