Edmond Philippine Native Works Toward Relief Efforts

Typhoon victims' family members in Oklahoma were still left in the dark on the status of loved ones early into the week.

Monday, November 11th 2013, 6:34 pm

By: News 9


More than 10,000 people are feared dead and at least 2 million have been impacted by one of the most powerful typhoons to ever make landfall. Now, the world and an Edmond woman are focused on helping the Philippines.

Typhoon victims' family members in Oklahoma were still left in the dark on the status of loved ones early into the week. The lack of communication is creating a heartbreaking situation that has made organizing relief efforts more difficult.

The snap shots thousands of miles away are very similar to what Oklahomans see after a tornado. Although, the typhoon in the Philippines was a different kind of storm that has brought the entire country to its knees.

"I know that [the victims] are my family," relief effort organizer Myrcia Hoppe said. "I have embraced them as my own family."

Hoppe, an Edmond resident, moved from the suburbs of Manila to Oklahoma in 1996. Through a group called Gawad Kalinga, she has long supported the poor of the Philippines, especially after a typhoon in the early 1990s.

"We [had] provided them homes … 5,000 homes, and that has been washed away by this typhoon," Hoppe said. " … I don't know what to do anymore."

The task seems overwhelming, but volunteers are determined to change things for the better. Hoppe says support is needed now, and every little bit helps.

"We need to reach out to them," Hoppe said. "This is the best time to reach out. They need food. They need clothing."

Hoppe's organization says $5 can feed most families for three to four days. Fortunately for Hoppe, all reports indicate her family members in the Philippines are just fine.

Officials in the Philippines tell CBS News that some 800,000 people were evacuated ahead of the typhoon. However, the brick-and-mortar evacuation centers could not withstand the storm's power.

If you would like to help through the Gawad Kalinga organization in the Philippines, click here www.gk-usa.org.

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