Relations between Hong Kong and the Philippines were badly strained before Typhoon Haiyan struck. The compassion shown by Hong Kong people in the wake of the disaster may go some way toward mending relations, report Hazel Knowles and Simon Parry.

It was a simple, joyous Facebook message that brought an end to days of agonizing uncertainty for the Hong Kong friends of Gina Barrameda Ladrera. "Thank God," she posted last Sunday. "My family is safe. It's a miracle."

Frantic with worry, the 39-year-old domestic helper flew from Hong Kong to Cebu and then on to her home in the devastated town of Tanauan, south of Tacloban, to search for her husband and her 11-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter.

She had been unable to contact her family since her island of Leyte took the full force of Typhoon Haiyan on November 8. So with a backpack stuffed with provisions donated by employers and friends, she headed home last Wednesday.

It took her three days to reach her home and she had to beg a ride from the Philippines military. She found her home destroyed by the deadly storm that killed more than 4,000. Mercifully, her husband and children were alive and living in a makeshift shelter among the rubble.

Home truths

Speaking by phone from her mother's home in Luzon, Gina told China Daily: "I was so worried. I hadn't heard from them for five days. I had to go and try and find then. But I had no money so my employer gave me some money to help me get back because she knew it was going to be very expensive for me.

"It was difficult to find my family. It is very difficult in my place. After the typhoon there was no food, no water, there was nothing to eat.

"The children were shocked to see me. They did not expect to see me. I cannot explain how I felt when I found them, I just cried and hugged them and thanked God that I had found them safe." Sadly, not all her family survived. Her three-year-old niece died in the floods.

In the days that followed, Gina learnt of the horror that she was unable to protect her children from. "The water that swept into our house was 10 feet high," she said. "The kids stood on the wood table and then as the water ran out they held onto the electric cables so they could survive."

Rallying round

Heart rending stories like that of Gina have helped spur an impressive relief effort from the people of Hong Kong to the tragedy of Typhoon Haiyan - known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines - that has transcended political differences.

While the Hong Kong administration remains deadlocked with the Manila government in a bitter dispute over compensation and an apology for the death of eight tourists in a tour bus hijacking, the people of Hong Kong have shown nothing but compassion for typhoon victims.

Charities say they have received surprisingly good responses to relief effort appeals and across the city there have been thousands of small acts of compassion like that of Gina's employers who sent her back home to look for her missing family.

Dolores Balladares Pelaez, chairperson of United Filipinos in Hong Kong, said: "We are very happy and appreciate the good response of the Hong Kong people to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.

"Even though there has been this dispute between the governments, at this time of crisis the Hong Kong people are very much concerned about how to help, especially in the most devastated areas.

"It's a very good feeling that we receive a lot of good thoughts and good gestures from the people of Hong Kong. They are giving a lot of donations and they are giving moral support to Filipinos affected by the typhoon."

Hong Kong people were sympathetic to Filipinos but still hostile to their government, Palaez said. "Last Sunday we had a prayer gathering and we had some local people join in the prayers and local employers giving money to their helpers for the relief effort," she said.

"However, one common remark we heard from people was 'If we give donations, please don't give it to your government or to the politicians'. They want to make sure the money goes to the people in need and not to the officials."

Community cares

Across the city, families have rallied to help the victims of the typhoon. At Renaissance College in Ma On Shan, for example, pupils and teachers raised HK$50,000 for typhoon relief through a dress-up day and a bake sale. Parents also donated canned food and other items for survivors.

Meanwhile, a group of mothers in Pokfulam raised HK$16,000 with an afternoon tea at Delaney's in Cyberport. Organizer Victoria Caccavale said the the Bel-Air community where she lives has raised another HK$19,000 through a cake sale and a toy sale.

"The community really came together for a good cause," said Victoria. "The majority of my friends have Filipino helpers who support our families and look after our children. To many of us they are like members of our extended families. They play an important role in our lives.

"When I heard about the devastation caused by the typhoon I felt useless. Even though my helper is from a different part of the Philippines and her family are safe, I wanted to do something to help."

Meanwhile, British advertising executive Gavin Neale flew out to Tacloban to help the rescue effort the day after the typhoon struck. He now plans to fly back with a team of Hong Kong-based engineers to bring aid and mobile generators to remote communities hit by the typhoon.

"We want to bring help to the areas that aren't being reached by the other relief organizations," said Neale, whose team called Asian International Rescue Organization plans to return to the Philippines within days.

Big companies have helped out too with one telecom company making a HK$1 million donation to Oxfam and Cathay Pacific delivering blankets and sleeper suits and promising to match any staff fundraising effort dollar-for-dollar, with donations channeled through the Red Cross.

Back in the Philippines, Gina is enjoying her last few days with her children at her mother's home in Luzon after flying away from the disaster zone. She will return to her job in Hong Kong on November 29, days after her daughter's 11th birthday.

"It will take a long time for them to forget what happened," she said. "The children are traumatized, especially at night time. They keep crying, screaming and shouting "no, no, no". If there is loud noise they will keep hugging me."

She wept as she spoke of the wrench of leaving her children to return to Hong Kong. "I don't want to leave them. But I need to go back. I need the money to repair my house," she said. "If I don't go back how can we live? We have nothing now. They don't have work, they don't have money and they don't have a house."

(HK Edition 11/22/2013 page3)