Solidarity Amidst Calamity - reporting floods in Silay.

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Solidarity Amidst Calamity

Disaster. Devastating. Dreadful. How does one merge these three words simultaneously to reveal the unforeseen tragedy that drenched the city of Silay in the province of Negros Occidental on the first day of the year? As Silaynons—residents of Silay—embraced the New Year’s Day, their attentiveness instantly arose when the floodwaters invaded their homes due to the nonstop rainfall, leaving them to struggle and seize their current situation while anticipating urgent assistance. Despite the pandemic’s threat to one’s health and safety, the acts of solidarity and heroism still prevailed among the Silaynons as they offered support and relief to those households, who screamed for help, by making use of social media platforms, consolidating efforts, and demanding accountability.

At the peak of the massive flooding, a lot of affected families utilized the availability of different social media platforms—such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—to appeal for rescue and assistance. With the need for immediate assistance, a variety of individuals who may not be able to help straightaway have made use of their resources to reach out to more people by means of sharing verified and credible information, including rescue posts and emergency hotline numbers to increase their awareness. By merely reposting and retweeting, these minor ways were fused together and have been converted into a major contribution. As every Silaynons’ feed has been overwhelmed with requests for help, Silay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (SDRRM) along with the Emergency Operating Center of the Local Government Unit (LGU) have organized these demands for quicker response.

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Meanwhile, many have maximized the use of social media as well to raise donation campaigns as Silaynons responded to the needs of affected households devastated by this flooding incident. In addition to that, the different schools—public and private—have assisted the victims of the flood through consolidated efforts of teachers, students, and parents. In the same way, several groups—Rotaract Club of Silay, SPAG-ASA, among others—have also extended their help to those who were affected. Hence, this outflowing of endeavors urged various youth organizations in the city to collaborate and help consolidate rescue efforts and relief drives for those who were ...

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