In September 2009, the forces of social networking sites were harnessed to create a civil society network in aid of disaster relief operations in the Philippines. This occured spontaneously, individually and then collectively in the midst of tropical storm Ondoy, forming a networked group of individuals bonded by shared goals and identities. Using data from Twitter in general and the RockEdRadio Twitter Network in particular, this thesis traces the emergence of relief and rescue networks during the Ondoy Typhoon and subsequent flooding. Diffusion Theory and Theories of Networked Interaction are employed in the analysis of the architecture and operationality of the relevant disaster-relief oriented SNS networks. Furthermore, this thesis also analyses the content of selected Tweets and delves into the unique features of the Philippine context to explain how these online social networks of rescue and relief diffused so spontaneously, rapidly and seamlessly amidst challenging circumstances. The thesis concludes with recommendations regarding the use of SNS technologies in other national disaster scenarios.