JEDDAH, 19 Sept. — A group yesterday renewed its call on members of the Filipino community in the Western Region to donate used clothing and relief items for compatriots deported from Sabah.
About a dozen boxes have been collected so far since the Alyansa launched the project Alay sa Halaw Mula sa Alyansa – Jeddah during its first general assembly last weekend.
But Cesar Lontok, chairman of the Alyansa’s ways and means committee, hundreds of boxes of donations are needed considering the big number of deportees.
Malaysia has already deported several thousands of Filipinos from the disputed territory of Sabah as part of a crackdown on undocumented aliens, mostly Filipinos and Indonesians.
Unofficials estimates have placed the number of Filipino illegals at about 500,000, mostly Muslims who fled Mindanao in the southern Philippines at the height of fighting between government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the 70s.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad temporarily halted the mass deportation early this month after President Gloria Arroyo wrote him to protest the alleged mistreatment of the "illegals."
Many of those who have been deported from Sabah earlier are in an evacuation camp in Bongao Island of Tawi-Tawi province in the southern Philippines.
Alyansa leaders in Jeddah said noted that with many of the illegals languishing in Sabah detention camps, the demand for clothing and other relief goods is expected to increase when these are transported to Mindanao.
"That is why we will are distributing 200 more boxes for our kababayan in Jeddah to fill," said Lontok, who is in charge of the project. He said boxes are also being sent to the villas of Filipinos in the Industrial City area as well as in hospitals.
Kind-hearted souls are likewise encouraged to bring their goods to Tropicana Restaurant along Tahlia, care of Omar Asuncion, Lontok said.
Tropicana Restaurant had been a very big help to the Filipino community, even offering to provide a temporary storage for the goods being collected.
Lontok said what they have collected so far, apart from used clothing, are towels, bed sheets and blankets.
For the donations to reach the Philippines without any delay, Felora Freight Services of Felix Jordan and Al-Hijaz Cargo headed by Jun Reyes have volunteered to ship the donations by air and will be delivered door-to-door to the office of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) in Port Area, Manila. Aside from goods, Alyansa also started to solicit funds to be sent to a PNRC bank account in Manila.
Meaningful project
Alyansa launched the campaign in response to the Philippine government’s call for help for the deportees.
Its members said what made the campaign more meaningful was that it was their first project and it got unanimous support when it was raised during their first general assembly last weekend.
Formed only last month, Alyansa is an alliance of more than 40 cmmunity, civic, sports, cooperative and professional organizations from Jeddah, Al-Baha and Yanbu.
"This is good start for community organizations in the Western Region. We are hoping that this alliance will expand to other regions of the Kingdom, or even internationally," opined Sam Delos Santos, the newly elected president of Alyansa.
The alliance was organized to join the global campaign for the cause of overseas Filipinos, especially in the formulation of policies and legislation that affect OFWs and their dependents. It is also meant to help distressed or stranded Filipinos in the region.
After ratifying their articles of cooperation and by-laws last weekend, the assembly elected its officers.
Sam Delos Santos was unanimously elected as president. Jibreel De Vera was then elected as secretary-general, a position that carries with it executive powers.
Other officers elected were: Arlen Sallador, deputy secretary-general; Francis Oca, treasurer; Rudy Carillo, auditor; Alex Aplacador, Joe Paduga, and Abdullah San Pedro, sergeants-at-arms.
The commission chairmen are: Jordan Reodique, membership and education; Jimmy Leonida, information and communication; Amir Llanera, social welfare and protection; Edwin Igni, trade & investments; Atoy Esguerra, political and legal affairs; Cesar Lontok, ways and means; Edris Tamano, ethics, grievance & reconciliation; Felix Jordan, culture and sports; Allan Excevea, head of the secretariat.
The Advisory Council is composed of Raoul Katigbak, Billy Felipe, Ric Cordero, Oscar Tuazon, Eugene Delfin, Vic Aguila, Marlon Lim, Rene Dumaguina, Faisal Pastrana, Fidel Hernandez and Gary Paala.
