It’s been a crazy week for the Philippines and our island of Palawan, as it was directly hit by Hurricane Odette (known as Rai internationally), a Category 5 hurricane that did devastating damage. Due to the location of our island, it’s typically spared from the worst effects of hurricanes compared to the rest of the country, so residents were not prepared when Odette made direct landfall. Our island capital was without any internet, electricity and running water for 5 days. Bridges were washed out so people could not leave or enter the capital. There was a complete communication blackout from all residents, politicians, and newspapers as family and friends anxiously waited news from their loved ones. Mr. Bee and I have been running a Hurricane Odette Facebook group to collect news and firsthand accounts from residents about damage, as well as share travel updates, relief efforts, etc. on our island. We didn’t hear from anyone in the capital for 5 days, until 2 hours ago when internet was finally restored.
The Philippines has the strongest hurricanes in the world, and is the most vulnerable country to hurricanes in the world. Climate change has worsened the frequency and severity of hurricanes. Many lives were lost in Odette, thousands of homes destroyed, millions in infrastructure damage, and it’s a very sad Christmas for many. It’s hard to be on the other side of the world and seeing our island hit by the worst hurricane there in decades. But the resilient Filipino spirit is strong, and there are many local relief efforts by good friends already underway.
image via Palawan News
Here are some interesting links from around the web this week:
H E A L T H
Omicron variant accounts for 73% of U.S. infections – CDC cia Reuters
Coronavirus FAQ: Is it OK for the kids to take a pic with Santa? via NPR
The Best N95 And KN95 Face Masks To Wear For COVID Variants via Huffpost
Parents Grapple With How Long to Wait for Their Children’s Second Shots via New York Times
Pfizer plans to test a third dose of its COVID vaccine on infants and young children via NPR
Moderna says its booster significantly raises the level of antibodies to thwart Omicron. via New York Times
E D U C A T I O N
16 educational podcasts for curious kids via Medium
We Learned Our Lesson Last Year: Do Not Close Schools via New York Times
New CDC guidance encourages more testing to limit school quarantines via NPR
Harvard says no need for SAT, ACT scores for applicants through 2026 via Nextshark
Teachers say school shootings and mental health struggles have made this year their hardest yet via CNN
F A M I L Y
Experts Predict Which Baby Names Will Be Popular In 2022 via Huffpost
As child care costs soar, providers are barely getting by. Is there any fix? via NPR
Parenting Creative Children Towards Lofty (and Risky) Goals via Grown and Flown
An Age-Old Question About Santa Is Tearing One Parenting Community Apart via Slate
I De-Friend People Every December. Here’s Why You Should Too. via Huffpost
19 Wholesome Christmas Traditions People Do That Are The Textbook Definition Of “Warm And Fuzzy” via Buzzfeed
pear / 1622 posts
What awful news about the damage and devastation. It is sad I had not seen anything about this on the news. I pray more global and US leaders will take action to address the global warming crisis. It is wonderful you and Mr. Bee have set up this site for the community.
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
@autumnleaves: yes unfortunately it has gotten very little international coverage though the New York Times did a story or two. It’s one of the worst hurricanes in Philippines history.
guest
Mrs. Bee, I am a follower and my husband is an editor at the LA Times. He referred me to this story and I wanted to share it with you. There is am email address at the end where you can send information if you have anything you’d like to add. I’m sure they would be eager to hear from you.
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-12-24/6-ways-to-donate-to-typhoon-rai-relief-in-the-philippines
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
@tricia thanks! Looks like they have some great grassroots orgs on there as well as bigger ones like unicef. Right now the immediate needs on the ground are food, water and construction materials to rebuild homes. I’m specifically invested in helping my island of Palawan, and there are a number of trusted individuals and small organizations traveling to the hardest hit areas right now with relief supplies. I know they are making an immediate difference, but they are mostly just individuals not official organizations so it’s harder to ask for international donations. There are similar efforts by individuals on other hard hit islands.