i think the embassy has setup something for their families to receive donations. i remember seeing the letter somewhere. we can all donate and do our part.

at the risk of sounding insensitive, this should be a lesson learned for us ofw's. we have to make sure that we register properly so our families get proper benefits whenever (god forbid) something like this happens. there are a lot of kabayans out there who choose to find ways to work around the system, come on tourist and business visas and then complain about the government not doing anything to help them. i'm so sorry to sound mean but that's the way it is. the government is gracious enough to offer to pay for free repratriation even if they did not register with the owwa. it is unfair for registered ofw's who have gone through the trouble and headache of going through the government bureaucracy and waste precious time at the poea just to ensure that their families get proper compensation when a tragedy occurs. however inconvenient, all those fees (even if some of it probably do get stolen by corrupt officials) and paperwork exist for a reason. let's not circumvent the system.

i hope you don't take this the wrong way. i pray they do get all the help they need.