Enumerating each country like Finland, United States, Germany, Sweden, Singapore, United Kingdom, Norway, Indonesia, Bermuda, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Canada, Belgium, and the Philippines, may sound like a Miss Universe beauty pageant. And it is, as each country is mentioned, a number of people will stand up and show the beauty of their hearts–their generosity and their compassion.

The Bayanihan for Ondoy Victims Fund Drive started with one email telling everybody in Barrio Siete that a strong typhoon is slapping our country silly. Most of our writers tuned into different websites and video channels. Our hearts were torn apart, our tears flowed as our fellow Filipinos feared for their safety and lives.

Then that email came.

Someone asked what we can do. Within minutes, a reply saying, we must gather our resources to help. We must help not because of the whims brought forth by our personal interest but for duty. Bayanihan. Many nations will understand the meaning of this word in some form or another, a team effort. But to the Filipino immigrants and OFWs, they will redefine the essence of bayanihan. They will rethread the steps of this virtue and use a medium that had never been used or even tested before–online.

In this technological era where communication is within a few mouse clicks away, our inboxes were filled with ideas and suggestions of how we can make this possible. With a few technical tweaks and coding the first un-updated Bayanihan Fund Drive post went up on September 27, 2009. A few people planted their seeds of hope by donating. A few people Twittered and Plurked. A few posted an update on their blogs mentioning the cause. A few people whispered it to a neighbor.

But that was short-lived.

Within the next 24 hours, an explosion occurred. Barrio Siete’s traffic jumped from 1,000 to 4,000 readers. Within 24 hours, donations will pour in with amounts of $3 to $100. One person who prefers to be anonymous pledged and eventually sent more than a thousand dollars! Within less than 24 hours, Barrio Siete will be able to remit the first $1,000 donations towards the Philippine National Red Cross. Not a day passed by, and there were a barrage of phone calls, emails, blog posts and badges mentioning the Bayanihan Fund Drive. Barriosiete was surprised and amazed at the support.

You are responsible for this!

Our dear readers and supporters of this cause have journeyed this new road of redefining the spirit of bayanihan. It is our honor that you have given us your trust and acceptance within your sense of community. We thank you and laud you for your effort.

What is $3,348 compared to what the big nations gave, right? In contrast to an emergency meeting in some government conference room discussing huge amounts of monies, the conference to donate through Barrio Siete happened during your car ride, through a passing conversation in your living room, when you read an email in you office cubicle, or when you called a family member. These donations came from your pocket, your retirement fund, your whole month’s worth of lunch money, your bus fare, and your long hard earned savings. Thank you. You are the unsung heroes who stood up and said, “I will be part of something much bigger than my needs.”

You have made this possible. You have proven that nothing can stand in the way of helping. You have proven that amount does not matter. What matters is our ability to reach out. You have proven that there is no class divide, nor continent distance, nor difference in economic status to translate into action the word bayanihan.

Many will say that bayanihan is a temporary thing. On the contrary, bayanihan lives. It is kept in the arsenal of virtues that is deeply embedded in the Filipino psyche. It resides deep within the patriotic soul. Should there be a need for it, it is ready to reach out and help. You, our dear donors and supporters have proven this over and over again in the last six days of this campaign. Every hour, the numbers rise. Every update, the posts increase. You have given us the confidence to do what we do. You have given bayanihan a new face. You have given the victims on Ondoy a new hope.

We thank you.

From all of us here in Barrio Siete to all of you who believed in us, maraming salamat po to all of those who sent us donations and most especially to these wonderful bloggers who pushed and plugged our project. Thank you to each and everyone of you.

Bloggers for Barrio Bayanihan For Ondoy Victims

1. Manila Under Water – Barrio Bayanihan For Ondoy Victims by Social Media Philippines
2. Bayanihan Fund Drive: Donate to Ondoy Flood Victims by Chocolateword
3. B7: Barrio Bayanihan by Kubyertos
4. Barrio Bayanihan for Ondoy Victims by Silver
5. [149] Nang magalit si Kalikasan.Mga Politiko nasaan? by Dencios
6. Please make a donation to Ondoy Flood Victims by Edwin Jamora
7. Prayers, donations and help for all the victims of Ondoy… by Ely of Phototecture
8. Mga Biktima ng Bagyong Ondoy by bloggityblogs
9. Stark images of Storm Ondoy, the morning after…. by Ajay’s Writings on the Wall
10. help for ondoy victims by i heart manila
11. Typhoon Ondoy by Caligulina’s Blog
12. Barrio’s Drive for Typhoon Victims by Journey in my head
13. Philippine Flood by Metro Mogli
14. Ondoy,pagmasdan mo ang ginawa mo!! by Bongga ka ‘day!
15. How to help and donate for the Victims of Tropical Storm Ketsana aka Ondoy by bluepanjee dot org
16. Pounced by Ondoy by Aiza
17. Barrio Bayanihan For Ondoy Victims by The Great Maldito
18. Barrio Bayanihan for Ondoy Victims by Mel Beckham
19. Bayanihan Fund Drive: Donate to Ondoy Flood Victims by Chuva Chienes
20. Barrio Bayanihan for Ondoy Victims by Mr. Nonsense
21. Let’s Keep The Bayanihan Spirit Alive by Chuvaness
22. Please Help Ondoy Victims by Medyo Guapo
23. I hate you Ondoy! by Ana Banana
24. Bayanihan Fund Drive Donate to Ondoy Victims by Mikes Sumondong
25. Bayanihan Fund Drive: Donate to Ondoy Flood Victims by Diwatang Byaning
26. Ondoy Flood: Typhoon Ondoy Update by Ronald Redito
27. Bayanihan Fund Drive: Donate to Ondoy Flood Victims by Nanay Belen
28. Help for typhoon Ondoy Victims by Brainchild
29. Desert Fishing by dFish
30. B7 Fund Drive for Typhoon Victims by An2nette Bachmann
31. They are in need by Mumusakanto
32. Barrio Siete’s Bayanihan Fund Drive by PugadCtoy
33. Ondoy, Not Ondoy at all by Reesie
34. How to help the Typhoon Ondoy victims by Ambibo
35. Bayanihan Fund Drive: Donate to Ondoy Flood Victims by Yami
36. Sticky tape and apron strings
37. Exodians, Netizens of the World by Darbs
38. Heartbreaking! by Joyo
39. Barrio Siete’s Bayanihan Fund Drive: Please Donate to Ondoy Flood Victims by Snow
40. How to Donate to Ondoy Flood Victims by Survivor SuperWoman
41. moderately confused pinay in deutschland by cheh
42. Barrio Bayanihan for Ondoy Victims by Juleste
43. Appropriate Light by My Manila
44. Barrio Bayanihan for Ondoy Victims by Sinaglaya
45. Sugod Bulacan
46. Bayanihan Fund Drive: Donate to Ondoy Flood Victims by Pink Maldita
47. Moderately Confused Pinay in Deutschland
48. Barrio Bayanihan for Ondoy Victims by Bragsimply
49. Barrio Siete Bayanihan Fund Drive for Ondoy Victims by Okay-okay
50. Typhoon Ondoy by Fatherly Yours

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mahalia is is a mom of three, devoted wife and is still traversing life as an immigrant. She blogs at Chocolateword and is currently an apprentice at a Christian Writer’s Guild. Currently based in the US, Mahalia is currently taking Creative Writing at UCLA.