By Likha Cuevas-Miel, Assistant Business Editor

Because of limited news from international media outfits, Filipinos abroad are relying on Facebook and Twitter to get real-time updates on their loved ones back home who may have been victims of tropical storm Ondoy (a.k.a. Ketsana).

Romar Sese, a Filipino living in Tsukuba, Japan, complained on Facebook that news about the disaster in the Philippines is scarce in major international news networks, unlike the coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

”I don’t know about others but I had to rely on FB [Facebook] and Twitter to get updates on the situation there in the country . . . at least [there is something good about] FB and other social networking sites,” he said.

Others commented that they got more specific or more localized news about areas that could not be covered by local media via Facebook, since those with Internet access can post photos and videos of situations in their immediate vicinity.

One of the most popular posts was the video of the “flowing cars” at the University of the East Ramon Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center on Aurora Boulevard in Manila that showed vehicles in the hospital’s parking area being swept away by strong floodwater currents.

Many Facebook users posted updates on their status boxes about which roads were passable and the depth of the floodwaters in their respective areas.

But some announcements in these instant broadcasting tools should be scrutinized well because of the lack of gatekeeping mechanisms (editing, verification, etc.) that are employed in traditional media.

False alarm

One Facebook user announced, “If you have friends and families along Marcos Highway, please tell them to move to higher grounds because authorities are about to open the Marikina dam. It [opening] will affect Marikina, Pasig area and lower Antipolo. Please repost for faster dissemination.” Parts of Marcos Highway, which starts at the border of Marikina and Quezon City in the north, pass through Marikina and Pasig.

There is no Marikina dam anywhere in the Philippines. Marikina is Marikina City; Pasig, Pasig City; and Antipolo, Antipolo City. Marikina and Pasig are two of the 17 towns and cities comprising Metro Manila.
Antipolo City, south of the Philippine capital, Manila, is located in Rizal province. Marikina and Pasig were reported to have been among the hardest hit by Ondoy. Quezon City also is part of Metro Manila.

The “Marikina dam” posting was corrected by someone, saying, “NDCC denies rumors that dams in Metro Manila will be opened.” NDCC is the National Disaster Coordinating Council headed by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

Useful postings

Still, most of the status updates in Facebook were useful to those who were awaiting news about their loved ones.

Imee Vela, a US-based Filipino, said, “Thank God! I finally get hold of my bro, and they’re safe although binaha ang bahay nila and pati SUV nya ayaw na umandar [their house was flooded, and he can’t get his sports utility vehicle started]. Buti naman at di binaha ang sister ko [It’s good that my sister’s place didn’t get flooded]! Thank you sa mga nagbigay ng info sa akin about Marikina [Thanks to those who gave me information about Marikina]!”

Mobilizing help

There are many tweets about drop off points for donations or places where volunteers are needed.

Brazillian author Paolo Coelho (The Alchemist) even made a tweet about the Philippine disaster and urged his Twitter followers to help. “Philippines flood causes dozens of deaths. You can help: http://bit.ly/1VhJak [Red Cross]”

But he complained that the local Red Cross chapter does not have a link for online donations, “ppl [Paypal] cannot act on impulse. I had to send a bank order. Can’t u talk to them?”

Coelho then addressed “@philredcross I already made my donation by bank order. Ur link does not have online donations. Paypal is not an option. Open online link.”

Other Filipinos were using Facebook to “shout out” to friends and loved ones who were not responding to cell phone voice calls and texts. Telecommunications firms Globe Telecom and Smart Communications Inc. had been issuing advisories that it would take them days before cellular signals were restored to normal.

Still other Filipinos even asked other people via the social networking site to help their loved ones still trapped on roof tops or housed in evacuation centers.

Network of journalists

The Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (Ejap) has been using Facebook as a command center since most of its members are Facebook users. Officers of the group have been making a headcount and asking about the status of each member via SMS. Through the site, the officers and members learned that two members have lost their homes and were without food for two days.

Ejap continues to mobilize people and resources to help journalist-members who are in need of transportation, shelter, food and clothes.