Being more ‘social’ with Facebook

I recently gave-in to the need for a Facebook page for the blog. I refused to make a ‘fan page’ for the blog because I thought that I didn’t need it, I had no use for it, and that it was one less thing to think about and maintain. That was until these past few days.

During and after the intensified monsoon season brought about by Typhoon Haikui that was all the way up North in China, a lot of news came in and I couldn’t catch up with blog posts and uploads because there was an urgent need for posting and dissemination of the information. The usual easy-going, relaxed, and well-thought posts (yes, I’m tootin’ my own horn for this one) weren’t keeping up with the in-flow of information. Also, it wasn’t as ‘near-real-time’ as I wanted it to be to have updates that could reach people that needed the information. So, the Balen Santo Tomas page was born into the social networking world.

I guess I’ll fire it up for more social media power during times of emergency just like what happened this week. But I will be posting the regular stuff on other days. Right now, I’m sticking to “action mode” for the Facebook page and a little more of the documentary side when this situation is over.

More Reports on Sto. Tomas, Pampanga flooding of the 2012 Monsoon

A number of SunStar Pampanga articles I got wind of:

• Relief coming from PDRRMC including Sto. Tomas.
• Yesterday, 9 August, waters continue to rise because of the widening breach in the Sto. Tomas tail dike.

Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that DOH reported that Manabat Maternity Hospital in San Matias, Sto. Tomas, Pampanga is currently non-functional as well as Dinalupihan District Hospital in Bataan.

Thankfully, though, Christine Bañas reports on twitter that floods today have receded by 4 inches in Poblacion. She has also been very involved in the relief operations in the town and has shared some pictures. I’m reposting them below:

Rappler report on Sto. Tomas, Pampanga flood

I’m linking you to the Rappler article here. And reposting pictures below:

While rescue teams from Tarlac and Manila have scanned the area and assisted some residents to higher grounds, the impassable roads make the town of Santo Tomas harder to reach by relief efforts.

Santo Tomas resident Jessie Ortega said he ventured out of his home to find food for his family, but there is nothing available.

“Syempre mga tao hindi malaman kung anong gagawin nila,” he said. “Mga pagkain, tubig, ganun. Damit, inumin, gamot, ganun, yun ang kailangan namin (Of course we didn’t know what to do. Food, water, clothes, drinks, medicine, that’s what we need).”