Bay Area Filipinos At SFO Carrying Stories Of Desperation
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — Raw emotions were evident among the scores of Filipinos at San Francisco International Airport Wednesday, arriving from the area devastated by Typhoon Haiyan - or departing to find and help their relatives.
Celsa Torres was among those aboard a packed flight from Manila, which was largely spared from the full brunt of the storm. Torres said in other parts of the country, the damage is stunning—especially since much of the country was still suffering from an earthquake last October.
Bay Area Filipinos At SFO Return And Leave With Stories Of Desperation
"Nothing was even reconstructed yet; the homes are still even destroyed. But after all, another typhoon coming—it's like you're losing your faith, but the people hold on," she said.
In the departure terminal, people were desperate to leave for the Philippines to help at-risk family members.
"I have to go. I have to go. I can't stand here and wait," said Ray Monji, a nurse at Valley Medical Center in Santa Clara.
- National Nurses United - Philippines Relief Effort
- National Alliance For Filipino Concerns - Typhoon Relief
Monji learned from second-hand information that his parents, who are in their 70s, survived the storm.
"He is so weak. He has heart failure as well; my mom could not leave him and no one is helping them and I'm so disgusted," he said.
Though international help is arriving, Monji said he found it appalling to hear that typhoon victims are still dying from a lack of food and clean water.
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
