Eladio Cidro Jr, a 40-year-old civil engineer in Abu Dhabi, lost nine relatives in the disaster.
His aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and grandparents have all been killed, he learnt on Wednesday.
Most of his family lived in Basey, a seaside town in Samar province, about 10 kilometres across a bay from Tacloban, in Leyte province.
His grandparents, from Borongan in Samar, had travelled to San Jose, Tacloban City, before Super Typhoon Haiyan struck on November 8.
“They were seeking treatment at a hospital near the airport,” Mr Cidro said. “Now they’re gone.”
Residents are in need of basics such as food, water and clothing.
“They are so desperate,” he said. “There has been widespread looting and criminals have escaped from prison.”
He has not yet heard from his parents, who are in their mid-sixties and live in Borongan.
“Our town wasn’t badly affected,” Mr Cidro said. “My cousin assured me that my parents, one sister and two brothers were safe.”
He plans to relocate four families in Basey and three families in Borongan to Cavite City, south of Manila, where his family lives.
"I need to get them out of there as soon as possible," he said. "I want them safe, away from all the violence."
He shared the survivors' frustration over the government's slow response to distribute badly needed food and water to the central region.
He and his friends have begun collecting relief goods to send home.
“We have also arranged for relief goods from Cebu City to be delivered to Samar,” Mr Cidro said. “It may take time, but we’re hoping things will go back to normal in a few months.”
rruiz@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.