In a desperate quest to get away from the floods caused by Typhoon Haiyan, Marlene Agas’ brother climbed the roof of a nearby building. He injured himself on nails sticking out of the wall, requiring medical attention in the days to follow.
The turmoil that followed the typhoon left many families without water, food, or medical supplies. It also left those working abroad struggling to help.
Agas, who works at a St. Albert McDonald's, says she did not hear from her brother until five days after the typhoon hit the Philippines. In the meantime, the only contact the young woman had with her family was through a neighbour’s Facebook account.
“We have to be strong," she says. “It’s difficult working abroad and our families being there but we are here to work for them.”
On Friday, Nov. 29, all four St. Albert McDonald's restaurants will donate one dollar from every hot McCafé beverage towards the Philippines Disaster Support Programs of the Canadian Red Cross.
Local store owners Karen and Rob Chiasson say the majority of their employees are Filipinos. Many of them are sending money back home to help with food, water and medicine.
But there are also a lot of customers who want to give money to relief efforts, says Rob. So the couple decided to collect donations in canisters located at their restaurants, and to hold the fundraiser this Friday.
“Everyone was affected because it’s their home country and if they don’t have family that’s there they have friends that are there,” Rob says. “So when you are working far away from home and something like this happens, it makes it very, very difficult.”
One of Agas’ friends and co-employees, Doris Repotente, says she did not realize the magnitude of the typhoon until it hit and she saw the death tolls on the news.
Her family home is located in the country, about three hours from the centre of the typhoon in Tacloban City. But with most local buildings constructed from wood, she says her village is little more than a pile of debris now.
On the family farm, only a few boars survived the storm, she says. None of that matters to her though, as long as her family is safe.
“I was so scared because I was only able to contact my family three days after the typhoon hit,” she says. “My brother who lives a couple of hours away was able to contact us … He was able to borrow a phone and texted me.”
Repotente says living conditions are difficult. Her family was able to rebuild some of their home for shelter. But the only way of getting supplies to them now is by sending money to relatives in Manila.
They have to take an airplane and a boat to get food and water to her family, she says, which can take anywhere from a few hours to a full day of travel.
A lot of the money also never makes it to the families, added Agas. Shops have closed and following the disaster, many people took to the streets looting whatever they could find.
But you can’t blame them, she says, because the government is slow in responding to the need of its people.
“My salary last week, I sent it all because my neighbour texted me that they need the money because they don’t have food to eat or water,” she said. “(People) survive the typhoon but they also die from the lack of food.”
Repotente says they can provide them with food and water from Canada, but both worry how long the supplies will last. Until electricity works again, communication remains difficult and sometimes it feels terrible knowing you're not with them, she says.
But perhaps that’s why she’s here, she adds: to help from abroad.
“We will recover you know,” she says. “We will be able to get back on our feet and I will definitely help them. I always give them assurance that whatever you need, as long as I can help, I will.”
Donations for the Philippines Disaster Support Programs of the Canadian Red Cross can be made at all four McDonald locations in St. Albert until Friday, Nov. 29. One dollar from every hot McCafé beverage donations will also take place that day.
Local McDonald’s restaurants are located along St. Albert Trail and in Walmart.
