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Because Metro Manila has not yet recovered from the effects of Ondoy, it is easy to forget that typhoon Pepeng caused equally devastating damage to Northern Luzon . My home province of Pangasinan was among the hardest hit, with Dagupan City also almost totally crippled by Pepeng.

Unlike Ondoy which came and went in a matter of hours, Pepeng lingered in the north for several days. During all that time, the rains fell nonstop.

I know that both the government and the private sector’s capacity to rehabilitate the flood victims in the National Capital Region have been stretched to the limit, yet we cannot ignore our brothers and sisters in northern Luzon whose homes have been damaged.

They, too, need relief in the form of food, clothes and emergency shelter.

Almost all my friends and relatives who were not affected by Ondoy have been doing their bit, but in behalf of my provincemates in Pangasinan, as well as the rest of the provinces in the north who were affected, I appeal for further help.

The site of thousands of people rendered hungry and homeless is truly heartbreaking. The sense of helplessness is depressing.

The worst news regarding Pepeng are the massive landslides and floods as far north as Baguio which resulted in more than a hundred fatalities. Some remain buried to this day since efforts to recover the bodies have been hampered by continued rains and floods which have yet to subside.

If anyone out there can dig deeper into his or her pockets, and scrounge up some more clothes and donate a little bit more food and water, our suffering countrymen in the north will be eternally grateful.

I plan to go back this week to the areas in the north which remain accessible and which provide shelter to those who lost their homes.

Sometime last week, I aired an appeal for greater volunteerism on the part of those who have the time to spare. These are truly dark hours for millions of our fellow Filipinos. Please continue to help. Please continue to pray for the victims.

We must stand united now.

Tags: Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Typhoon Ondoy, Typhoon Pepeng