Black Eyed Peas’ Apl.de.Ap Urges Fans to Help Typhoon Victims

Black Eyed Peas member and Philippines native Apl.de.Ap is reaching out to fans for relief support after Typhoon Ketsana slammed into Manila this weekend, leaving 80 percent of the city and surrounding areas covered in water. Ketsana is reported to have caused over $30 million in damage, destroying homes, crops, and leaving the current death toll at around 246.

Apl, a creative ambassador to the Philippines, has launched a campaign to help the damaged country. "My heart is broken to see so many of my Filipino brothers and sisters hurt by this disaster," Apl wrote on his website.

"We must all bond together and move forward to restore the city we hold dear." Apl is asking fans and supporters to donate money to the Apl Foundation, through his website www.jeepneymusic.com, as Philippines residents struggle to gather their remaining belongings in the wake of the flood.

The torrential rain, which battered Manila throughout the weekend, is responsible for the most devastating flooding in the Philippines in over forty years. By Tuesday morning the flood waters had receded in most areas, but a majority of the city's medical centers have been destroyed and the risk of contracting waterborne diseases has increased dramatically. Locals are blaming government officials for neglecting to properly prepare for the typhoon, since it was well-known that Manila is susceptible to flooding.