Bandar Seri Begawan - Filipino worker in Brunei whose A family 'lost everything' when typhoon Ketsana submerged Metro Manila, inspired her employers to donate relief goods to Philippine typhoon victims, according to the donors' representative.

Turned over to Philippine Ambassador to Brunei, Alexander B Yano yesterday were 2,000 pieces of made-in-Brunei baby and children's dresses from Happy Deals Sdn Bhd, 100 cartons of instant noodles from Mum Bakery and Cake House, and 100 cartons of instant noodles from an anonymous donor.

"The clothes are bright and colourful and should arrive in time for Christmas," said the donors' representative, who declined to be identified.

"Our friends are also donating cash to buy coffins for the Philippine typhoon victims," the representative added.

The Philippine Embassy received this week a $3,000 cash donation for 30 coffins from Goh Koh Leong. An anonymous cash donation to buy 70 coffins was earlier received by Finance Officer Kristine P Wong at the Philippine Embassy.

Josephine Carandang Padilla, a supervisor at Delifrance Airport, told Ambassador Yano yesterday his family was stuck overnight on'the roof of their double-storey house in Provident Village, Marikina City as the flood reached the second floor when typhoon Ketsana became the first of four typhoons to hit the Philippines in one month.

"A boat rescued them at 4am, and my nephews and nieces aged nine, eight and six went ahead because they were hungry and shivering from the cold.

My father` was left behind. At 12.30pm the day before, he even messaged me not to worry, and that they were okay.

But the rain kept pouring and floodwaters went up fast.

By 2pm, they had to run up the rooftop, where they stayed until the next morning.

"My dad was in shock. Mud was knee-high after the floodwaters receded. They lost everything. I cried all night. My nose bled after a sleepless night. I wanted to go home to Manila. My father said there was no place for me there. I didn't want them to stay in an evacuation centre. They found refuge in a friend's house for a week. It's good I have some savings after sending money home every month. They have to start all over again.

"I told my employers my plight. It inspired them to donate to the Philippine flood victims. Alvin of Makati Express gave me a balikbayan box to forward to the Philippines for free. My friends donated groceries and old clothes to ship back for the evacuees," Josephine said.

Mohd Azlan (Alvin) Banadera, Makati Express driver, collector and managing director, gave 10 big boxes to the Philippine Embassy which his firm will ship free of charge to the Philippine flood victims.

Last Friday, outgoing Philippine Embassy Cultural Attache Monette Garcia brought back to Manila 60 kilos of relief goods donated by the International Women's Club of Brunei, on top of a cash donation to buy priority medicine and medical items, for the Philippine typhoon victims.

"We can relate to the Philippines because we were there last June, when we visited the National Philippine School for the Blind," said Director of Activities Ayesha Mawaz-Khan.

"Royal Brunei Airlines facilitated the transport of the relief goods," she added.

The Philippine Embassy this week also received a $500 cash donation from CFC Brunei, and used clothing from Triskelion International Brunei do John P Baylon, Herbert Salvador and Shanti Han.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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