Hundreds of people are dead and missing after Typhoon Frank swept across the central Philippines on the weekend, with thousands more still languishing in cramped evacuation centers after flash floods swept their homes away.

Concerned for their compatriots, the 70,000-member Filipino community in Metro Vancouver is gearing up to send provisions to friends, family and strangers back home.

"We have been keeping track of the situation in The Philippines," said Tom Avendano, president of the Multicultural Helping House Society (MHHS) in Vancouver. "There are three things they need: Food, clothing and cash."

This week, the MHHS is hosting a food and clothing drive at their building on 4803 Fraser St. in partnership with Circulo Ilongo, a Pinoy service organization in Metro Vancouver.

"If you are from the region and you are here, one of your relatives is bound to be affected," said Avendano. "There is no doubt about that. I have seen pictures of the conditions there and how many houses and buildings have been destroyed. The situation looks very bad."

Indeed, as the storm passed over The Philippines and moved towards China and Taiwan, it became clear just how many people have been affected by Typhoon Frank, international code name: Fengshen. With storm winds of 195 km/h, power lines went down, leaving much of central Philippines in darkness.

Severe flooding, landslides, a capsized passenger ferry and dozens of overturned fishing boats have left over 1320 dead, hundreds missing and tens of thousands Filipinos homeless.

Cesar Lim, who owns San Freight, a balikbayan (care package) company on Fraser Street in Vancouver, plans to give special discount rates to the MHHS for donations packages being shipped to storm victims.

"In the past, they have sent clothing, toys and food to The Philippines using my company," said Lim. "If they choose to do the same again this time, I would have no problem offering a discounted price."

Lim, who is originally from Central Luzon, says the timing of the typhoon could not have been worse.

"There is a shortage of crops, especially rice so people there will be needing all the help they can get."

The Philippines is one of the world’s biggest producers of rice but stagnant yields and a growing population has left the country with a national rice shortage.

The Philippine government announced this week that it would be paying close to $1.4 billion this year for rice imports to avert a shortage, which is bigger than the military and police budget, and five times more than the government spends on health, according to Senator Francis Escudero.

Limbey Deza Lau, the director of Vancouver’s MHHS urged Canadians to donate canned goods as the already existing food shortages have made things dire.

"The Philippines is already short on rice," she said. "Now all of the rice productions have been destroyed and all of the fish are gone. That is why food is so essential to send."

Lau owns a home in The Philippines where her aunt is living. She was able to make brief contact before the batteries on her Aunt’s cellphone died.

"Our town (Dumangas)got it the worst because it is the low land," she told the Asian Pacific Post.

"Most fish pens have overflowed and the rice lands are covered with water.

"I spoke with a classmate that is in touch with family there. He said that the market place is completely flooded and must be moved to higher ground."

Both Lau and Avendano said in the past, the Filipino community in Metro Vancouver is big hearted and hopes they will reach out again.

"The community really comes together when something like this happens," said Avendano. "Once we get the word out, they are more than generous."

To assist in the relief effort, contact the Multicultural Helping House Society at 604-879-3277.