Disaster brings out the best in Pinoy youth

MANILA – Tropical storm Ondoy brought out the worst floods in Metro Manila and neighboring areas, but it brought out the best in the Filipino youth.

Students in Enderun Colleges, an international management school, cheered when the administration canceled their Monday to Wednesday classes after tropical typhoon Ondoy hit Manila on September 26.

But instead of wasting their time, majority of the students chose to work in the school kitchens, whipping up meals to feed thousands of typhoon victims.

Unlike other relief drives, Enderun accepted donations of raw ingredients, which students transformed into hot cooked meals for numerous Ondoy victims.

"Enderun is acting as a central kitchen preparing hot meals that are directly picked up...We won't stop cooking as long as you keep sending!" Ancie Pamintuan wrote on the school's group wall in social networking site Facebook.

The concept of sending out cooked meals instead of collecting canned and packaged goods came from the students the day after Ondoy caused the worst flooding in the nation's capital, Ma. Andrea Raebay, marketing executive of Enderun Colleges, told abs-cbnNEWS.com last Wednesday.

Once word got out, students were thrilled, and many offered their services. Meals depended on the raw ingredients donated by fellow students and other citizens. These were usually spaghetti, corned beef, and pancit canton.

At the end of its 3-day run, Enderun was able to send out 14,000 packed meals that have been picked up by various organizations such as the Philippine Army, the Taguig City government, and the Philippine National Red Cross.

"Once the victim gets the food, they want it prepared na. It is really better if it’s cooked meals so victims don't have to cook or open the canned goods," Raebay added.

Youth on the move

Aside from Enderun, numerous colleges and universities around Metro Manila also organized donation drives among students and alumnae as early as Sunday. And these movements were mostly initiated by the students.

In the University of the Philippines, donation efforts were consolidated through the Sagip Isko (Save the Scholar), which included giving out donations to the communities near Diliman in Quezon City.

“The UP Diliman community consolidated all efforts from its colleges and student organizations in helping out the different communities around the campus…[and] conducting assistance for stranded, flooded, missing, and sick UP Diliman students and employees,” UP students said in a press release.

According to Harvey Keh, director of Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government, youth participation is a sign that the youth are "slowly but surely becoming more aware" of their roles in the society. (Read: Volunteerism in the age of Facebook, Twitter)

"Young Filipinos are idealistic. They're looking for ways to help in their own little ways," Keh told abs-cbnNEWS.com in a phone interview.

Through Ondoy, the youth was able to show their sense of sympathy for the victims, which, in some cases, included fellow classmates.

Other students also helped out because they volunteered with their friends. “Many wanted to volunteer because their barkadas are there. Helping becomes fun, it becomes a way of bonding with friends,” Keh explained.

Technology in time of disaster

Aside from taking care of virtual farms, sharing homemade personal videos, and posting non-sensical everyday one-liners, students found better uses of social networking sites during Ondoy: gathering volunteers and donations.

Throughout the duration of Ondoy and the few days that followed, Keh said the youth actively helped out because of 2 mediums: Internet and television. (Read: Facebook, Twitter to the rescue in 'Ondoy' disaster)

Blogger Ederic Eder affirmed the usefulness of social networking sites during Ondoy. While the rain poured lavishly on Metro Manila and some nearby provinces, Eder was online, receiving updates from other users.

Eder follows 593 people in his Twitter account, and this is being followed by more than 1,000 users like student leaders and fellow bloggers.

“Through the tweets, I was able to know which parts of Manila are flooded. Twitter is very useful and easy to use, especially to those who have access to the Internet,” he told abs-cbnNEWS.com in a phone interview.

Aside from road updates, blogging helped consolidate donation drives and volunteer efforts. Users just go online to get updates from different schools and universities around Manila, said Eder.

Nationalism overflow

The groundswell of volunteerism can also be due to a sense of nationalism that was “rekindled” among Filipinos after former President Corazon Aquino died August 1.

“I’d like to think that there’s a momentum, a massive feel of nationalism brought about by a series of events that started with Cory’s death,” Keh explained.

He added that the sense of nationalism was further boosted by Senator Benigno Aquino III’s decision to run as president as standard-bearer of the Liberal Party.

Could the same momentum drive the youth to actively participate in the national elections next year?

Keh is optimistic since even before the typhoon came, many of his students posted in their social networking sites that they have registered and are excited to vote in the 2010 elections.

“They are aware that their futures are at stake, and the Internet becomes a way to inspire them, to move them to campaign for better leaders,” Keh said. Read original published article here.