We were able to deliver some food and other relief goods early in the morning of Wednesday, to my relatives in Marikina and to TD-8108 Jerome Ang in Pasig. Many people have been donating clothes and food, but other supplies are sorely lacking. If you'd like to put more specific items in your donation packs, here's what you can send over:

First of all, thank you to every single person who has sent us donations, whether in cash or in kind. We have been receiving donations from friends and 501st in other countries as well, and troopers all over the world are disseminating the information about our efforts. THANK YOU WORLD!
 

The Philippine Outpost has mobilized troops to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy (international name Ketsana). So far we have been engaged in accepting and distributing donations of cash and relief goods. Now we are trying to organize a clean-up effort in Provident Village, Marikina.
 

You may have heard about tropical storm "Ondoy" (international name Ketsana), which ravaged the Luzon island of the Philippines, leaving at least 240 dead, hundreds more injured, some missing, and thousands homeless. Hurricane Katrina was maybe half the size of the typhoon that hit us.
 

Ben Burtt, sound effects supervisor on all of the Star Wars films,

sends his greetings to all fans in the Philippines during "Star Wars Celebration IV"

in Los Angeles, May 2007.

* In the Philippines, a "Yaya" is a person who takes care of your children, akin to a nanny. The yaya can be hired help, or a distant relative. Usually the yaya accompanies the family when they are out, feeding the kids, cleaning up after them. Sometimes the yaya stays with a family for so long that she is practically part of the family. Some friends of the outpost regularly volunteer to come along to trooping events, making sure all members are okay, all costume parts are in place, taking pictures and generally babysitting the troops.

The actor who portrayed Darth Vader, Dave Prowse, is seen here wearing the Philippine Outpost shirt.
the shirt was given to him as a gift by the Outpost during Celebration 4 in Los Angeles

Legion founder Albin Johnson is photographed wearing an official Philippine Outpost shirt at Celebration Europe

This is to address a certain blog entry someone posted on Multiply. We will not link to the thread because the madness has to stop, and it won't if people keep on going there to post replies. Curses and insults have been traded and it's not pretty.

But as a backgrounder, someone posted a list of the Best and Worst Conventions in the Philippines, with the New Worlds conventions landing on the #1 spot of the Worst list. The person who posted had a specific complaint against an alleged Jedi costumer who was rude to her cousin who wanted a picture taken.