October 2009
FILIPINOS IN NSW RALLY TO HELP TYPHOON KETSANA VICTIMS
2 October 2009 – The Filipino Community in New South Wales raised donations of relief goods and funds to help the families affected by Cyclone Ketsana (Typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines), which deluged the Philippine island of Luzon and the capital region of Metro Manila on 26 and 27 September.
By early 27 September, many individuals and Filipino associations initiated assistance appeals for donations to help the relief of the thousands of families who were displaced by the raging floods. The flooding was the Philippines’ worst since 1967 and affected 3,084,997 persons (629,466 families), leaving 293 dead, 42 missing and five injured. The storm caused about P4.8 billion (A$ 116.1 million) in damages to agriculture and infrastructure. As of 1 October, a total of 419,333 people (83,493 families) were staying in 726 evacuation shelters.
The Philippine Community Council of New South Wales, the lead organization of Filipino associations in the state, launched a state-wide appeal for cash donations for the Philippine National Red Cross, the front-line relief operation for shelters and evacuation centers. Other associations promoted fund-raisers and relief goods donations in their local areas.
The Filipino language program of SBS Radio held a two-day on-air fund-raiser that gathered about A$ 11,000 in pledges from the audience. One listener alone committed PHP 300,000 (A$ 7,250).
A Filipino-Australian businesswoman undertook, at personal cost, the airlifting of relief goods to the Philippines. The shipment will consolidate hundreds of donated canned goods, medicines, clothes, and supplies from individuals and associations and will deliver them to a recipient relief organization. The shipment, which will be sent to the Philippines on 6 October, targets at least 200 kilos of imperishable food.
Many other Filipino-Australians offered their homes and business establishments as drop-off points for relief goods, and forwarded the donations to the Philippines. |
