Update: New Date for Donations Set

Probably not the best news to begin with, but in this case, we have set up a new date for collecting your donations. Due to the short term period and the fairly high amount necessary for providing two teams with jerseys, we will not be able to fulfill this order until November 20. Hence, we will have a rather open end to collecting donations and inform you via this platform and www.startnext.com/fussballphilippinen on the current status of this project. By the end of this year, there will be a first intermediate result. And hopefully by the beginning of the new year, the project will be successfully completed!

Which logo will be used and how the jerseys will eventually look like will be presented to you on this blog and the above-mentioned website. As soon as the project is finished, you will find photos of the children wearing their new jerseys with a thank you-poster with your names on it.

Please also check out older posts on this blog to see how we managed our last aid project for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda.

Interested in helping the Tamasak FC children get their first own jerseys? Click here to find our bank data and please make sure to use the right reference, which is: “Donation Tamasak FC”.

Thank you and maraming salamat po!

Donations for the Children of Tamasak FC

We watched the Barotac Nuevo football games in August, Tuncer took part in one of them.

As already implied in the previous article, we are now trying to launch a new project, namely helping the children of Tamasak FC get their own jerseys.

By doing so, we can help them fulfill their football dreams and motivate them to continue and pursue their goals. Unfortunately, we only have little time left, since their match in Manila will take place on November 20, 2016 and we are still searching for donors.

What we need is one jersey set consisting of a shirt and shorts per head – that makes exactly 30 jerseys for two teams. What we are trying to reach is 600 euros until November 15, 2016. This includes not only the clothing but also the print of logos on them.

Do you want to help and donate for the football match of Tamasak FC? You can find our bank data here.

Please add the following reference: “Donation Tamasak FC”.

URL leading to our project on Startnext with further descriptions (in German!): https://www.startnext.com/fussballphilippinen

On our last project:

In 2013/2014, we already successfully collected donations from Germany and Switzerland as supported by the local newspaper of Aschaffenburg and by friends and family in both countries. Just as we did here, we will provide you with photographs, thank you-posters and videos to show you the result of your aid.

Thank you, salamat po!

Football in Barotac Nuevo

Football players in Barotac Nuevo. (c) Benny Bender, August 2016

Two weeks ago, we went to Barotac Nuevo, which is the football capital of the Philippines, as our friend and Philippine journalist Ms. Pendon told me. We received a very warm welcome and Tuncer had the pleasure of playing with the Filipino football stars.

Barotac Nuevo has many hidden talents and passionate football players and we the audience were amazed by their skills and their love for this sports. We want to support the players of Barotac Nuevo and help them live their dreams. Maybe one day, they will be the first to proudly say they helped build up a new football nation. One that is known to the world as fighters, as first-class athletes.

Please also check out Ms. Pendon’s article in Sun Star Iloilo:

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/iloilo/sports/2016/08/14/iloilo-town-opens-football-season-friendly-match-491346

More is yet to come, stay tuned…

After Devastating Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan: Unjust Treatment of Typhoon Affected Residents

Thanks to humanitarian relief organizations, people affected by the “merciless” typhoon, as a Tacloban resident interviewed by UNHCR calls it, were able to rebuild homes or receive shelters and return to their everyday life. Although the surroundings in many places as Tacloban still remember of the deadly storm, there is hope of a new beginning.

As recognizable in the video below, it appears as not much has been done by the government in order to lend aid to the most needed:

(Source: UNHCR YouTube Channel)

As medico international reports one year after the typhoon, people are frustrated with the lacking support and demonstrated against the government and its failure to provide assistance to those affected. Please click on the URL linking to the important article on protests against lacking assistance: https://www.medico.de/taifun-nothilfe-philippinen-wer-wind-saet-15864/ (German).

Hagupit Hits Land & A Personal Update From Home

Latest news on Typhoon Hagupit (or: Typhoon Ruby)

Heavy storms and hard rains have started in various areas across the Philippines. As for now the typhoon seems to be weaker than expected, but instead it is estimated to be sweeping through the country slower and therefore even longer. Over 500,000 people have been evacuated, but as reported by CNN in the video above, there are still residents living in their houses at the dangerous coasts who will only leave their homes until the typhoon becomes stronger and a bigger threat.

Update from the family in the Philippines

My sister and I have received an update via e-mail from our father saying that they have already experienced a blackout, but that their region most probably will not be highly affected by the typhoon. However, as heavy floods have already been announced, it was a necessary decision to not only charge phones and fill up water tanks, but to also haul enough food for the coming days since leaving the house might become an impossibility due to flood waters. Our mother has taken photos from her personal view, which you can see below. It is daytime, but unusually dark outside. According to her, it has started raining repeatedly, but most of the time the weather stays mainly calm.

Hagupit is yet the strongest typhoon of 2014

Where is Hagupit now? If you want to find out about the typhoon’s current state, please follow this link:

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/storms/HAGUPIT.html

Once again: please stay safe.

Weather Alert: Filipinos Prepare for Typhoon Hagupit

13 months ago the Philippines was hit by the strongest typhoon to ever hit land. Haiyan/Yolanda killed thousands of people and left many homeless; some of them still haven’t recovered yet.

Now, another super typhoon called Ruby, or respectively Hagupit by the Filipinos, is being announced by meteorologists, warning that the same areas affected by Yolanda last year can be hit this time once more.

Please prepare and take care while we keep praying for your safety.

The Strongest Typhoon Ever Recorded – One Year After Yolanda/Haiyan

A year has passed since the most devastating and strongest typhoon ever recorded swept over the islands of the Philippines. According to unfpa.org, about 14 million people have been affected. This has been a trauma for many people, and Filipinos all over the world came together, prayed for and helped their fellow people who have been victimized by the calamities. We are all very thankful for all the help we have received in order to buy and distribute goods for all those in need. This help came from Switzerland and Germany thanks to our local newspaper, Prima Sonntag, and our friends.

One year after, I want to inform you about the effects of Yolanda/Haiyan. Here are some facts gathered from UNHCR:

Date: November 8th, 2013
Deaths: ca. 6,300
Displaced people: ca. 4.1 million
People who still don’t have a home: ca. 20,000
Displacement sites across affected areas: 56

365 days later, recovery works are still to be proceeded. 20,000 people still live in shelters and have no homes, which means, of course, that they still need help! However, even those who have returned to their homes (officially) might never return to their old lives. Haiyan/Yolanda (Yolanda is the name used by the Filipinos) has not only destroyed buildings and nature, but much more, and some things, unfortunately, forever. Yet, the Filipinos have proved their resilience and faith for a better future, although some have lost everything/everyone.

WHO Philippines joins the One Year Yolanda commemoration walk and shares their photos on Instagram, stating that this tragedy will surely never be forgotten. And I think those who have been personally affected or know people who have been, can tell you how devastating the news was for them, and how the tragedy has affected us and our sentiment for many months.

We wish those people, who are still trying to recover from the catastrophe, strength and all the help they need. And may all the souls who have been taken through Yolanda/Haiyan rest in peace.

“It Looks Like Actual Hell On Earth”

Almost a year has passed when German local newspaper Prima Sonntag reported on the situation in the Philippines and especially those regions that had been affected by typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan. This article helped us a lot to raise funds and thus help those people whose houses and belongings had been destroyed. According to unfpa.org, about 14 million people have been affected, therefore aid in all areas was essential for survival. All kinds of help was needed, in every places, because regarding the huge number of victims and the difficulty of reaching everyone due to the destruction and the fact that the Philippines consist of over 7,000 islands, it is understandable that it was not easy to help everyone immediately. The better it was when we received help from people in Germany, Switzerland and the Philippines to help even more people.

“It looks like actual hell on earth” and unfortunately for many, it even seemed as such.

Prima Sonntag newspaper from Aschaffenburg, Germany

More happiness :-))

and another one 🙂 wow 🙂

Happy :-)

Have you seen the clip on youtube from people of Tacloban dancing on the song “Happy” from Pharell (who by the way is half filipino hehe, now where does he get his happiness from ;-)? )?

If not, take a look at the happiness from the filipinos and learn 😉