JEDDAH, 6 December 2004 — Relief goods for the victims of storms that have devastated a huge part of the northern Philippines recently have started pouring in from Filipinos and friends in the Kingdom.
Most of the donations or pledges are in the form of used clothing, blankets, noodles, and canned goods, Arab News learned.
Campaign organizers have also named several drop-off centers for goodies, with all four Philippine schools in Jeddah all offering their facilities.
These are the International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ) on Gornatah street, Sunrise International School and Al-Hekma International School on Baladia street, and the Al-Bader International school on Rowdah district.
And to bring these relief goods to the Philippines is Sky Freight Forwarders, which has pledged to deliver all donations sent either through the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) or the ABS-CBN Foundation.
Arab News learned in Riyadh that when Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla asked for volunteers, Sky Freight readily volunteered.
“Whatever blessings we have, we have to share with our unfortunate brothers and sisters,” said Emy de Guzman, general manager of Sky Freight.
Sky Freight had also been actively involved in delivering donations for victims of Pinatubo Volcano a decade ago, as well as in minor calamities over the past years.
The PNRC, a non-government organization and affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, is again in the forefront of relief and rescue operations in all provinces or towns hard hit by the four storms that hit the Philippines over the past two weeks.
These include provinces in the Bicol region, islands south of Manila that were hit by the first of the four storms or typhoons. Also affected were the provinces of Quezon, Aurora and Nueva Ecija, which were hardest hit by the last three storms, parts of Bulacan, Rizal, and some provinces in the northernmost region of the Cagayan Valley.
The PNRC had said it would need between 56 million pesos and P100 million to help affected families in Central and Southern Luzon, and the Bicol region.
Various Groups
Among the groups that have started collecting donations from members and others were the Organization of the Nights of Rizal (OKOR), the Calabarzon, the OFW Cooperative Council (OFWCC), the Bag-Ong Bicol Saro nin Jeddah (BBSJ), the Guhit Pinoy Foundation, and the Circulo Ilonggo in Saudi Arabia (CISA).
“I have called our members and told them that they can start now. Then they can bring the goods to Tropicana Restaurant for temporary storage until such a time we can segregate them and send them to Manila,” OFWCC chairman Rudy Carillo told Arab News by telephone.
Juliet Roa, CISA president, said even other expatriates, including doctors of King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, have offered to help in the campaign. She added that during the organization’s get-together party on Dec. 9, they will “pass the hat” for donations.
Andy Gonzalez of Taishan Insurance and the medical staff from King Fahd General Hospital through Maria Zena Arcella Dollentes and associates have already collected around five boxes of used clothing from among themselves.
Individual Efforts
Individuals have also started to collect used clothing. Jun Nidua, a scuba diver, said he and his friends are contacting other friends to contribute to the cause.
A group of women calling themselves the “Relief Society” are rummaging through their closet for clothing they could spare.
A secretary in the housing department of a hospital in Jeddah started her own campaign by posting bills for donations. She is coordinating the campaign by her own volition.
Even the staff of Sky Freight Forwarders have gotten into the act by foregoing their Holiday party. Instead, they will donate the budget intended for the raffle and exchange of gifts to the calamity victims on top of their pledge to send used clothing collected from their ranks.
“We feel the pain of being a victim of disaster. As a Filipino you can easily identify with those victims. So in our own small way, we decided it is worth to give in this time of need,” said Chris Alimonsurin, an accountant of forwarding company in Jeddah.
A number of Filipinos have also pledged to send goods instead of cash during the telethon aired on Friday during TFC’s Kamusta Kabayan and Balitang Middle East programs.
Where to Send
According to Francis Oca, a community leader based in Riyadh, groups or individuals who wish to donate cash are better advised to remit it to the account number of the PNRC to be sure these will reach the beneficiaries.
For those who wish to channel their donations through ABS-CBN, cash should be sent directly to ABS-CBN Middle East, while the goods should be sent to Sky Freight offices across the Kingdom.
According to Sky Freight staff, used clothing must be segregated and properly marked and packed inside cartons.
Only goods addressed to either the PNRC or ABS-CBN Foundation will be accepted. Goods addressed to individuals will not be entertained.
Donors through Calabarzon’s chapter in Riyadh may Dennis Pangilinan at 463-7775 (office hours) or cellphone No. 05042-92029.
School Drop-Off Centers
Guhit Pinoy volunteers from IPSJ said they are happy to receive any donation of sorts.
“Even one riyal will go a long way,” said IPSJ Grade V teacher Emy Edano.
Student Council officers headed by Nahla Ibrahim had been tasked to accept donations from their classmates. Volunteer IPSJ teachers include Edano, 05026-78553; Lorie Garpa, 05073-13342; Sheferd Rodriguez, 05093-38596.
The contacts in other schools are:
• Sunrise International School, Ofelia La Guardia, 664-6369 & 669-3551;
• Al-Bader International School, Tess Villanueva or Leony Cabana, 668-7274; and
• Al-Hekma International School, Belma Regis or Fely Samonte, 664-5055 and 665-9959.
