Dear friends,

First, let me apologies to my German friends. The web link to Springboard was wrong it is www.springboard-foundation.org , the previous one missed the i in foundation.
I am writing this all in English. If you need a German translation please let me know.

I am sending you some pictures of our relief operations and current situation in Montalban Rizal. The situation is still desperate and getting worse. The streets and walkways are filled with mud. People are getting sick. I walked knee deep through stinking mud to deliver the goods together with Craig Burrows of the Papaya Academy and Barangay Captain Roger Frias while our volunteers Linda Dallison, Allison Henderson and Anjuscha Helbig delivered relief packages to the people in Payatas. It was shocking to see that nothing had been done by any big aid agencies there. We were still the only ones there. Later in the evening one loader arrived to clear the main road. He was able to remove some mud there but at least 3 inches are still there making it hard to walk. The small side streets are filled with mud up to the knees and sometimes we got stuck. Wellington boots didn’t help that much because the mud would run in over the rims.

There were some water outlets from existing pipes but people had to dig wholes into the mud to reach them. All houses were out of electricity and water and the stench was terrible.

We delivered house to house but also gave food to people waiting in long lines. They specially liked the bananas and dalandan (local madarins) and the apples because they could eat them right away. Tins are actually a problem because they have no can openers, but I’m sure they will find a way.

In some places they have no way to cook in their mud filled kitchens so we want to buy equipment for soup kitchens which we will place in strategic locations. Another medical mission is planned for tomorrow. Last time tickets were given to 1000 people but well over 1200 people came. We ran out of medicines and had to provide cash to buy more to which also the BWA, the British Women’s Association, came to the rescue. Amazing what these ladies organize. Sarah, her family and many of the members are doing amazing work here. The BWA is a very impressive group and they move fast, their effort and support is fantastic.

We need heavy equipment to plow the streets. Large loaders and grinders for the big streets and smaller versions for the small streets. Anyone who can help out with that?

We are grateful to have received the following donations:

US$: 6,060
Euros: 690
British Pounds: 500
Pesos: 104,000

In addition to that we have pledges for 134,000 Pesos

We made the following donations:
PHP 239,000 (5060 US$) in cash to the Asian Students Christian Foundation headed by Craig Burrows who we work with daily to deliver food and water
Today a water filter system will be installed that produces 10 gallon of clean drinking water per minute. The cost is 125,000 PHP ( 2,700 US$) for the system and we will have to add a stainless steel tank to store the water. which should be less than 20,000 PHP ( 425 US$). We want to install 2 more to supply the entire area with clean water.
We have donated medicines, food, water, worth PHP 120,000 (2,550 US$)
And many boxes of clothes that have been donated to us.

People are extremely grateful for anything they receive. It is really hard to see what is going on there. So much is still needed. Please continue to help by donating in kind and in cash. Make donations to:

Name: Springboard Foundation
Please put your name in the narrative and e mail us info about your donation so that we can send you an official donation receipt

Bitte im Vermerk “Fuer Springboard Manila” angeben. Spendenquittung bitte per e mail anfordern

In kind donations can be dropped off at:
Linda Dalison: Mobile 0918 8454189: at 1716 Dasmarinas Ave. Dasmarinas Village, Makati

Annette Helbig: Mobile 0916 4474951 at 15 Melbourne St. Merville Park, Paranaque

Sarah Willey: Mobile 09209207883 at 118 Sarangani St., Ayala Alabang

The photos show some of our volunteers, the Papaya Academy as it is prepared for the onslaught of the super typhoon, the flood basin where informal settlers from Manila have been resettled (that should never have happened), areas full of mud and people trying to clean their belonging in a little stream.