The Philippines Need More Help

On November 8th, 2013, a massive typhoon struck the Philippines and many citizens continue to live without food, water, and shelter.  The big question here is not why it happened, how it happened, or when it happened, the question is why were so many not prepared and fully braced when it happened and how low preparation has affected the outcome of this tragedy and the ways people are struggling after devastation has been brought to their land.  Many are injured, countless are dead, and many are living homeless or without food and water.  A lot like the early settlers of Jamestown, Virginia in 1607.  Yes, when the settlers came over from England and set foot on Virginia, they were not able to maintain a sustainable food supply and many were dying because of it.  In the Philippines, millions are without food and water.   





On a stretch of small, tropical islands, when a massive storm such as this one occurs, it will always leave it's mark.  Not to mention this country struggling in terms of money, a storm like this can leave them broke and have citizens fleeing for a safe home.  This storm will be one that is remembered throughout the ages as many are homeless, injured, and a countless death toll makes this storm one to remember.  The ones who are alive, many are without food and water.  Due to a tragic storm that has wiped out half of the islands, many are starving in the streets.  Food that is commonly grown there has been destroyed, crops and farms are demolished, and local food banks are running low on products as shipping is extremely difficult.  Most countries have sustainable food supplies, and the Philippines did before this wreckage occurred.  Now, the fate of the island depends on their citizens to feed themselves and other countries to pitch in and show a sign of peace and come together as a world.  As we all know, the U.S.A for Africa program has worked extremely hard to help Africa with their poverty and produced the one of the most known songs by Americans, "We Are The World".  This now is happening with other countries as well as the U.S. for the Philippines as it has happened with Turkey, Japan and Haiti with their earthquakes.  however, the country still is without enough food they can sustain.  However, this has happened in the past as well.  If one were to think way back, maybe to 1607, they can think of the Early Jamestown colonists and the neighboring Indians. 


Yes, in 1607, A group of English settlers sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and landed in Jamestown, Virginia.  They came over with weapons, some food, and many materials such as metal, copper, and steel.  They made the first permanent English settlement in the America's.  However in 1609, an English sailor named Francis West came and took most of their food supply (mostly grain) and took it back to England so they could fatly sail back.  However, this left the settlers without a lot of food.  It is like a storm but with no damage done physically.  The colonists then were at a low food supply and needed to find a way to manage a sustainable food supply.  About every 3-4 months, a ship supplied with food would sail to the America's with food to supply the colonists but usually, food was eaten on the ship and the leftovers were not enough to maintain a sustainable food supply.  These colonists were attacked by the fierce Powhatan Indian tribe which killed 3 colonists.  However, they were able to find a way to make peace and trade valuables like grain for weapons or John Smith's compass.  This relates to the Philippines disaster because the colonists were had a low supply after a cause took away their supply like Francis West and the Indian attacks, and the Philippines violent typhoon that swept away their land. 



The Indians and the early Jamestown settlers did make peace eventually and became allies and traded and did get the supply back.  The Philippines right now are rebuilding and hope to someday restore what their home before the typhoon occurred.  The Jamestown settlers made a new home and a new settlement with the help of other people of different descent coming together and the Philippines and other countries are coming together as well to fix someday what was a few tropical paradise islands. 



Bibliography:

Calhoun, Lonna . "In Philippines, typhoon survivors desperate for food; aid workers say progress is slow." COPE Preparedness. Carmela Cruz, Chico Harlan, 8 Dec. 2013. Web. 8 Jan. 2014. http://cope-preparedness.org/archives/2844.

"Philippines Typhoon Appeal." Disasters Emergency Committee. ,13 Dec. 2013. Web. 6 Jan. 2014. <http://www.dec.org.uk/appeals/philippines-typhoon-appeal>.

Pictography:


Boden, Christopher. "Haiyan Typhoon Damage." 2013. Raw image file.

Calhoun, Lonna . "Typhoon Remains." 2013. JPG file.  Inn, Boxwood. "James Fort." JPG file.