Update 12/24/21
It’s been a little about 18 hours since we launched this fundraiser and we have already raised a little over $1200. I will be updating this page frequently as the Generosity Network page doesn’t allow it. The reason why I chose ended up choosing Generosity Network (instead of the usual platforms like GoFundMe) is because when sending the funds to my cousin, Manang Katy, she can accept money straight into her Banco De Oro account via Xoom which is tied to PayPal. So essentially, your money goes into the PayPal Generosity Network platform, it gets transferred it into my PayPal, and then I can send it straight into her bank account via Xoom.
I spoke with her earlier and she told me that the people who helped deliver the water to Ilog said this:
“Thank you gid, Ma'am. Please extend our thanks saimo cousin. We'll update you with pictures once maka pauli na kami from the site.”
*”Thank you very much, Ma’am. Please extend our thanks to your cousin. We’ll update you with pictures once we get back home from the site.”
And then the people from Ilog sent her this message:
All donated drinking water were delivered to the Municipality of Ilog last night. Once again thank you to the sponsors and Kwench Refilling Station. God bless and more power to your business!
They were so grateful for the 21 bottles we were able to send and I am so excited and motivated to help more families.
I also spoke with my mom earlier around 7pm (11am December 24). They are still without power in Himamaylan and surrounding cities. She said there are many relief efforts happening and it’s great to see everyone band together to help one another out. She asked if we could send water to the families in their barangay and of course I had to oblige. I have already coordinated with Manang Katy to get the next delivery out to Barangay Talaban in Himamaylan. Since we will be giving 2 water jugs to each family and there are 40 families, the 80 containers will need to be in a larger truck. I have asked my mom to help by sending a Menez USA Truck. Menez USA is a company my parents own in the Philippines that helps to distribute cargo boxes throughout their island.
Since each water jug costs approximately $3.20 (160php) and I have asked for $4.00 (200php), there is an excess of $0.80 (40php) per bottle. I sent $320 (15351php) today for 80 water jugs to be delivered on 12/30/21. After doing the math, there is an excess of $51.05 (2551php) and to which Manang Katy said:
Ok ipa gas lg sa truck ni dad mo and food sg mga tao nya maupod sa truck
*“Okay, I’ll give it to them for gas for your dad’s truck and for food for the people who are in the truck.”
We all know that gas prices are steep and it’s not any different in the Philippines.
Another thing I learned is that the water jugs that they are using cost us 145php, and then to fill it up, it’s 15php for the water. What this means is that if we can get people to return the containers, we could use the incoming funds for one bottle ($4.00), to pay for refills instead of going towards the water jugs themselves. That means that the $4 could potentially yield us 12 bottles (or 3 bottles per dollar!!!!!!! ahhhh)… I’ll keep trying to stretch our dollars here to keep helping more families.
I felt like today was such a successful day as far as this fundraiser goes. Thank you to everyone who has been so generous. Hoping to have more photos to update with tomorrow.
For transparency’s sake, I am adding screenshots below of the money transfers so you all know that the money is going straight to Manang Katy. This is the $320 that will cover 80 bottles to help 40 families in Barangay Talaban in Himamaylan City of Negros Occidental on December 30, 2021.
