The Filipino’s empathy or “malasakit” is best displayed during disasters and calamities.
The aftermath of Odette’s destruction to lives and property across many parts of the Visayas and Mindanao has flipped the switch to that good old Filipino value of “malasakit” not just in the country but across the world where there is a Filipino community.
From the United States, Australia and Canada, as well as from other parts of Asia, OFWs and Filipino residents in foreign soil have initiated fund drives to send help to kababayans back home who are left homeless or have lost a family member.
When Ulysses struck last year, Filipinos overseas sent their donations to hundreds of typhoon victims. They organized fundraisers of different platforms all for the purpose of helping.
Filipinos, no matter the distance and circumstances are always prompted to act with one single password — HELP.
Without second thoughts, that “malasakit” value is activated with the prompting of that one single word calling for action and response. It is one of the rare occasions that those who have been blessed by the much better world in another country can give back to the country and its people.
Expect that in the coming weeks, help from across all corners of the world will come to make those who suffered from the typhoon’s wrath feel that they have families elsewhere who are ready to lend a hand.
