JUBAIL: Filipino community organizations in the Kingdom have kicked off campaigns to raise funds and solicit relief goods and medicines for victims of the recent typhoons in the Philippines.

“Our fellow countrymen need us, we need to unite especially that our country is in need of help. We have to do the one-voice, one-helping hand campaign to support our country,” said businesswoman Elsie Chua in a meeting with the leaders of different Filipino community organizations on Sunday.

Chua offered her support to the organizations headed by Jauhari Usman, Atoy Esguerra and Fred Castolome, who are organizing the campaign to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy that hit the Philippines recently. She offered her office to be the drop off points of donations and to shoulder shipment costs of medicines donated by the Filipino community.

Other community group, such as the Saudia City Tennis Clubs and the Friends of Jeddah Music Club, also started their campaigns. Ed Santos of Friends of Jeddah Music Club said his group would start to solicit through their members and friends. They will also accept any donations coming from individuals.

“We are also mobilizing the campaign in our company. We are calling our Filipino colleagues in the National Commercial Bank to help our countrymen in the Philippines,” said Santos.

Tata Egil-Martinez, an officer of the Saudi City Tennis Club, said Filipinos living inside Saudia City can send their donations to NC-6 Recreation Center.

“I really feel sorry for what has happened to our country and through this initiative we can show our sympathy to our kabayan in our country,” she said.

In Riyadh, chairman of the board of trustees Frank Naval said Eli Mua, international executive chairman of the United OFW, initiated the campaign for the donation of relief goods for the victims of the typhoon.

United OFW will accept donations until Friday and they will send the donated money and goods immediately to Manila.

“We were shocked as we watched on the television footage of the submersion in water of major areas in Metro Manila” said Usman.