News and updates of Typhoon Storm Ondoy that Hit Philippines .

An 18-year-old construction worker braved rampaging floods in the Philippines to save more than 30 people, but ended up sacrificing his life in a last trip to rescue a baby girl and her mother who were being swept away on a styrofoam box.

Desperate relief effort amid rising death toll

Family members and people who Muelmar Magallanes saved have hailed the young man a hero, as his body lay in a coffin at a makeshift evacuation centre near their destroyed Manila riverside village.

"I am going to be forever grateful to Muelmar," said Menchie Penalosa, the mother of the six-month-old girl whom he carried to safety before being swept away himself. "He gave his life for my baby. I will never forget his sacrifice."

Mr Magallanes was at home on Saturday with his family when tropical storm Ketsana unleashed the heaviest rains in more than 40 years on the Philippine capital and surrounding areas.

At first the family, long used to heavy rains, paid little attention to the storm.

But Mr Magallanes and his father quickly decided to evacuate the family once they realised the river 800 metres away had burst its banks.

With the help of an older brother, Mr Magallanes tied a string around his waist and attached it one-by-one to his three younger siblings, whom he took to higher ground. Then he came back for his parents.

But Mr Magallanes, a strong swimmer, decided to go back for neighbours trapped on rooftops.

He ended up making many trips, and eventually saved more than 30 people from drowning, witnesses and survivors said.

Tired and shivering, Mr Magallanes was back on higher ground with his family when he heard Ms Penalosa screaming as she and her baby were being swept away on the polystyrene box they were using in an attempt to cross the swift currents.

He dived back in after the mother and daughter, who were already a few metres away and bobbing precariously among the debris floating on the brown water.

"I didn't know that the current was so strong. In an instant, I was under water. We were going to die," said Ms Penalosa, her eyes welling with tears and voice choking with emotion.

"Then this man came from nowhere and grabbed us. He took us to where the other neighbours were, and then he was gone," Ms Penalosa said.

Ms Penalosa and other witnesses said an exhausted Mr Magallanes was simply washed away amid the torrent of water.

Neighbours found his body on Sunday, along with 28 others who perished amid Manila's epic flooding. The official death toll stands at 100 with 32 missing.

Standing next to his coffin, Mr Magallanes' parents paid tribute to their son.

"He always had a good heart," said his father, Samuel.

"We had already been saved. But he decided to go back one last time for the girl."

His mother, Maria Luz, wept as she described her son as incredibly brave.

"He saved so many people, but ended up not being able to save himself."

The Age.

University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law bar examiners who lost their permits when their houses were submerged in floodwaters do not have to worry that they might not be allowed to take their exams on Sunday, October 4.

UP Law professor Theodore Te is offering help to get them new permits. He said so himself in his Facebook account.

“Please let us at PEP-BAR OPS know if you need help with your permits, which may have been washed out. You may reach me through my cell phone, this account, email or through the Bar Ops Hotline,” he posted at 1 p.m. on Monday.

The last of the four installments in the bar exams should have been held on Sunday, September 27, but it was postponed because of tropical storm Ondoy.

Apparently, it is a big issue among bar examiners. In a comment posted on Te’s facebook page, a fellow lawyer said Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez has acknowledged the problem and vowed that the Bar Confidant would assist the victims.

Since Saturday, Facebook had been a receptacle of various forms of assistance to Ondoy victims—news and information on the storm, initiatives taken to assist victims, prayers, and contact numbers for various purposes.

Schools and companies organized relief operations and called on volunteers in Facebook. The site was also deluged by photos of the devastation wrought by typhoon Ondoy personally taken by the users.

Accessible, free
Accessible and free, the social networking site had been effective in disseminating information.

“Facebook is effective because there is a face behind every post that makes it credible to the reader. Since the one posting is presumably one's friend, there is greater trust. Of course, some friends are more credible than others,” shares prolific Facebook user Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) Dean Antonio La Vina.

La Vina had to fly to Bangkok on Sunday to attend a climate change conference. But thanks to Facebook, the distance didn’t stop him from organizing the ASoG Task Force Ondoy.

In a note posted on his page, La Vina on Monday created the task force that he envisioned would be “at the center of the national conversation on why this happened and more importantly what steps to take so that it never happens again.”

“Through this memorandum, I constitute ASoG Task Force Ondoy with all ASoG Managers and Staff (regardless of employment status) as Members,” he wrote in the note.

In the same note, La Vina named the leaders of the task force and then gave out specific instructions.

“For our affected colleagues, I have set aside resources to give them immediate assistance. While we will contribute to the greater effort, it is also important for us to set aside significant resources for them,” La Vina wrote.

La Vina is consultant to presidential adviser for climate change former Senator Heherson Alvarez. – abs-cbnNEWS.com/ Newsbreak

The devastation wrought by typhoon “Ondoy” has made the Philippines one of the hottest topics on Twitter even among Hollywood stars.

Husband and wife Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, who, until the last few hours were still continuously ‘tweeting’ about the situation, have posted links to organizations that could help in alleviating the plight of so many distraught Pinoys.

“Typhoon victims in Philippines in dire need of food/clothing. Call the American Red Cross to help,” the two urged.

Singer Josh Groban, who was one of the more graciously received visitors in Manila recently, also aired his concern via the web-based networking site.

“My heart goes out to my friends in the Philippines,” he tweeted, advising followers to send donations through Red Cross.

Singer Marie Digby voiced her sadness over the situation, calling out to Pinoy ‘Digbyholics’: “So sorry to hear about all the flooding in the Philippines!!! I'm hoping and praying for everyone's safety.”

Young star Demi Lovato of “Camp Rock”-fame joined in on the cause by re-tweeting links to the American Red Cross but not before stating, “Come on guys, the Red Cross is a beautiful thing and the Philippines need OUR help… Let's put it to good use and make our country proud…after all, it is called the AMERICAN Red Cross… and we have to be there for other countries. Please help them.”

Other celebrities like Pinoy singing sensation Charice Pempengco, “Charmed” actor Alyssa Milano, Paris Hilton, Ricky Martin, former M2M singer Marion Raven, singer-guitarist Michelle Branch, and Fall out Boy’s Pete Wentz have all called out for help in behalf of 'Ondoy's" victims by re-tweeting links to either the Philippine or American Red Cross.

Author Paulo Coelho (“The Alchemist,” “By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept”), meanwhile, posted on Twitter his frustration over what he termed the Philippine Red Cross’ seeming ‘Jurassic methods’ of collecting donations.

He posted: “I had to send a bank order. Jurassic! (People) can't act on impulse. Filipinos talk to Red Cross: (open) donations online!” and emphatically, “(Your) link does not have online donations. Paypal is not an option. Open online link.”

Manila Bulletin.