By ED YRA and SARAH JANE VON WETTBERG
SAN FRANCISCO – Bay Area Filipinos and their compatriots across the nation continue to reach out to the typhoon victims in the Philippines through a series of relief and mercy efforts for Philippine typhoon victims.
Pinoy groups, big and small, draw on the tradition of Bayanihan (community unity) Spirit as they organized fundraiser and solicited relief goods, or otherwise joined hands in prayers for relatives left behind in the old country.
The mercy missions are taking place where the Filipinos congregate – in community centers and churches, in concert halls and even dining places. And the cash and goods they gather are channeled to various agencies for immediate distribution to those in need.
Almost half a million dollars have been raise so far in the Bay Area alone as be gleaned from updates supplied by the different donor associations.
“The generous hearts and hands of the Filipino American community are much needed rays of hope to our typhoon-battered nation,” said Mitos Santisteban, president of the ABS-CBN Foundation USA, whose organization alone has generated more than $400,000 for the disaster victims.
“Our work is not done yet, far from it. The road to recovery will be long and arduous, but we can all take comfort in the fact that Filipinos, especially in times of crisis, can be relied on to band together to lend a helping hand.”
Santisteban said the worst typhoon-induced disasters have the claimed the lives of more than 800 people, forced 350,000 to evacuation centers, and caused more than $500 million in property damage.
Vallejo brunch
Last Sunday (Oct. 18), the various Filipino organizations of Solano County gathered for brunch and raised more than $6,000 while partaking of cuisine prepared and served by the members.
The Vallejo fundraiser at the community center located at Sonoma Blvd. was spearheaded by the womenfolk led by Norma Placido, Eloise Scott, Belle Santos, Lilibeth Asera and others.
Placido said the event was part of an ambitious campaign dubbed “Operation Sagip Bayan” that seeks to raise up to $100,000 to be donated for relief and rehabilitation in the old country.
The men stayed mostly in the background, working the kitchen, arranging the chairs and tables and later doing the clean-up along with their kids.
Placido said more fundraisers are in the works: casino trip for seniors, a country fair and the usual second collections at local churches.
These kinds of fundraisers are common in hundreds of Bay Area churches that have considerable ethnic Filipino parishioners.
Among groups that were quick to pass the hat include the officers and staff of the local San Francisco Consulate, including those of the Departments Tourism, Trade and Industry, and the Philippine Center.
Consul General Marciano Paynor Jr. said the $5,000 was raised their modest contribution to ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts in the flood ravaged areas.
Cops pass the hat
Filipino American members of the San Francisco Police Department did their own fundraising, with the police force sending several boxes of canned goods, noodles, candies, and other food items as part of their humanitarian assistance to typhoon victims.
SFPD Capt. Eric Quema and some of his fellow Fil-Am colleagues personally presented the donations to the consulate in downtown San Francisco.
The boxes of goodies included food items and stuff given by the Pinoy officers and their friends.
Sagip Kapamilya
ABS-CBN Foundation USA has so far raised close to $.5 million, according to Santisteban from donations coming from as far as Michigan.
Santisteban said she is heartened by the spontaneous response of Filipinos soon after the leading network aired its Sagip Kapamilya telethons on The Filipino Channel (TFC).
She said that as of October 16, the foundation has raised $384,767 through cash, checks, credit card and Paypal donations and $69,700 in total pledges – for a total of $454,467.
Among the major organizational donors include G and E Healthcare Services which provided $20,000 and the Filipino Community in Michigan which chipped in $10,000.
Moreover, other fundraisers remitted substantial donations, among them: Band Aid Pilipinas in Intramuros, $12,000; Everyone’s A Hero, $8,700; and Filipino American Symphony Orchestra/Asian Journal Benefit Concert for Typhoon Ondoy Survivors, $7,800.
Santisbeban said more pledges are coming in from entertainment personalities like Martin Nievera and Gary Valenciano, among others.
LBC USA also confirmed that the money remittance transactions it has handled that went directly to ABS-CBN Foundation’s Sagip Kapamilya in the Philippines already reached $30,000 as of last week. LBC USA waived its service fees for cash donations remitted directly to said program.
Proceeds from all the donations have gone a long way in helping thousands of families through relief and mercy programs in hard-hit areas, especially in Metro Manila, Pangasinan and La Union.
‘Unity Tour’
Organizers of the Filipino concerts are using the venues as drop off points for donations on top of donating a substantial portion of the proceeds to help the typhoon and flood victims.
For instance, “Unity Tour,” – a series of concerts led by Pinoy diva Kuh Ledesma along with Christian Bautista, Nanette Inventor, Jograd dela Torre, Charlie Green, Carlo Orosa and Isabella – will start the relief efforts rolling in its Oct. 20 stop at the Jubilee center in San Jose.
Ledesma is personally appealing to her group’s fans to bring blankets, clothing, medicines, canned goods and toys to the venue. The donations will then be packed in boxes by Forex International and immediately shipped to the Philippines through the Purpose Driven Ministries for distribution to churches, which will in turn give the goods to the needy.
In addition 30 percent of tickets sold through the website or via toll-free hot line on all Unity Tour events will be donated to the typhoon victims via ABS-CBN Foundation.
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