(UPDATE 2) ABS-CBN telethon raises over P20M for 'Ondoy' victims

[LadyJ]

MANILA – ABS-CBN telethon has raised at least P20 million in cash pledges and P25-million worth of goods for the victims of tropical storm Ondoy (international code name Ketsana).

As of 6 p.m., Sagip Kapamilya program head Tina Monzon-Palma announced that a total of P22 million in cash pledges have been raised since the telethon began at 8:30 a.m.

“[The] products and services are either already delivered to our warehouse or still in transit. [Some] cash is already at our Sagip Kapamilya warehouse,” she said.

Meralco has also started to deploy 26 generators with accompanying flood lights in the most affected areas in Metro Manila including Pasig, Cainta and Marikina, said Monzon-Palma.

"Nakiki-coordinate na ang ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya para makarating na itong [mga relief supplies]," said Monzon-Palma. "[These are] ready for pick up and distribution directly to the affected areas, together with the donors or sponsors of Sagip Kapamilya.”

Monzon-Palma said 250 volunteers are packing the goods at Sagip Kapamilya warehouse at No. 13 Examiner St., West Triangle, Quezon City. She said donated goods can be delivered to the warehouse up until midnight.

The warehouse, she said, will open at 8 a.m. Monday for more donations and pledges.

She added: “So many goods to give and we don’t have the space. We would like to give an appeal to keep it (goods) in your warehouse. As soon as we get our teams organized and our logistics organized, we will call you or you call us. And we can schedule the release of all of these goods

“If you have big warehouse, keep your goods there and we will schedule an itinerary of where you could go. As soon as we get all of their donations, within this evening, we will sit down together with the team and then plot and create itinerary.”

Given the foundation’s limited number of trucks to transport the goods, she said: “If the donors already got the vehicles, we will really appreciate it if we can just go to your company and you can have your employees accompany us to the site. So, both of us can distribute the relief personally to all of our Kapamilyas.”

Some celebrities have been taking phone calls from the donors since Sunday morning. Pokwang, Kim Chiu, Piolo Pascual, Gerald Anderson, Melissa Ricks, Jake Cuenca, Karylle, Jericho Rosales, and Jed Madela took part in the telethon.

“Please continue praying and kung kaya niyong mag-donate, magbigay na kayo ng damit, pagkain. Ito na ang tamang panahon para mag-share tayo. Iyong mga hindi niyo ginagamit, I'm sure maraming makikinabang niyan,” Rosales said.

Fr. Carmelo “Tito” Caluag, meantime, said that those who want to help may still contact 4152272 loc 5471 up to 5474 and dzMM hotlines 9242615 and 9241522. Starting Monday, according to him, donors may call Bantay Bata 163. -With a report from TV Patrol World

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertain...-ondoy-victims

[LadyJ]

Filipinos overseas are urged to participate in relief operations drive for families affected by tropical storm “Ondoy” in the Philippines.

Migrante International Middle East News Bureau on Saturday appealed to the Filipino community in the Middle East to mobilize their members and officers and start collecting donations and relief goods for typhoon victims.

“We will mobilize our Migrante chapters and member-organizations into coordinating bodies in their respective countries that will spearhead gathering of donations, goods, and clothes for the relief operations of our allied non-government organizations in Metro Manila,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-ME regional coordinator and Migrante Sectoral Party Vice Chairperson.

Monterona said they will tap different Filipino communities and organizations as well as Philippine officials abroad to gather goods, clothing and donations.

Overseas Filipinos willing to donate may contact any of the following Migrante chapters in Saudi Arabia:

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: KGS-Migrante Chairperson Eric Jocson
Phone No. 0531822766

KGS-Migrante Sec. Gen Mike Garlan
Phone No. 0505629 89930

Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia: Migrante-Khobar Chairperson Choie De Leon
Phone No. 0569117563

Migrante-Khobar Sec.Gen Gerry De Guzman,
Phone No. 0507373906

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Migrante-Jeddah Chairperson Bob Fajarito,
Phone No. 050502745340

OFWs based in other countries in the Middle East are urged to get in touch with Monterona at mobile No. 00966 564978012 or email migranteme@gmail.com.

“Wala namang ibang magtutulungan kundi tayong mga magkababayan kahit milya-milya man ang layo natin sa ating Bayang sinilangan,” Monterona said.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-mig...%80%99-victims

[LadyJ]

The United States government has provided the Philippines with an additional $50,000 (roughly P2.3 million) aid to help the country deal with the devastation caused by tropical storm "Ondoy" (international name: Ketsena).

The additional fund brings to $100,000 the total amount of the immediate relief operations provided by the US.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney has authorized the additional disaster relief fund through the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), according to a statement from the US Embassy in Manila.

The donation would be delivered to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) by the USAID, it said.

“Damage caused by this storm is heartbreaking," Kenney said, adding that they would also coordinate with local officials to determine what assistance they could further provide.

A total of 140 people have been confirmed dead due to the storm as of Monday night.

The US Marines have already been helping the Armed Forces of the Philippines in its search and rescue efforts for "Ondoy" victims in Cainta and Pasig cities, two of the worst hit areas in the country.

Aside from the US, the Japanese government also provided the country with Y20-million (P10.478-million) worth of relief goods for those affected by the floods.

Earlier, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., appealed to the international community for more assistance as it deals with the effect of "Ondoy."

“The President authorized me as chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council… to request the international humanitarian community for assistance on behalf of the government of the Philippines," he said in a press briefing at the NDCC office in Camp Aguinaldo. - GMANews.TV

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[GaryFifer]

Lot of black market and cynicism at these bad times. I don't trust that

How much of this really gets to the people. Why Saudia Arabia? Because of Muslim Mindanao? They have more money than sense. So much money they waste water building a swimming pool in the middle of a desert. The Prince could buy Manila with pocket money.

I still say sell all Marcos crap to get money they owe. What good is gold when you are knee deep in mud.

[IainBusby]

Lot of black market and cynicism at these bad times. I don't trust that

How much of this really gets to the people. Why Saudia Arabia? Because of Muslim Mindanao? They have more money than sense. So much money they waste water building a swimming pool in the middle of a desert. The Prince could buy Manila with pocket money.

I still say sell all Marcos crap to get money they owe. What good is gold when you are knee deep in mud.

Given the track record of the Philippines with regard to graft and corruption, I'm sure they are those throughout the whole system of government both national and local who will either become rich, or become even richer because of this disaster.

Iain.

[Sophie]

Given the track record of the Philippines with regard to graft and corruption, I'm sure they are those throughout the whole system of government both national and local who will either become rich, or become even richer because of this disaster.

Iain.

sad but true.......