GABRIELA USA extends our heartfelt gratitude to all the individuals and organizations from all over the world who have extended generous support towards Lingap GABRIELA, a partner to Bayanihan Alay sa Sambayanan (BALSA) with relief efforts for the recent devastation of Typhoon Yolanda (International name: Haiyan). Your contributions thus far have helped with efforts involving pack distribution, debris clean up, and urgent medical services for survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. History shows that in times of disaster, people’s organizations have been more effective in providing genuine relief than the Philippine government.
Precious Butiu, a member of Pinay sa Seattle-GABRIELA USA, reports back from the GABRIELA-Philippines headquarters, “Many hands worked around the clock, to put relief packs, containing rice, water, canned meat and salt.” Lingap GABRIELA is enroute to Tacloban City via Hilogo, Leyte. Another team has reached Northern Samar via Sorsogon, all in preparation for a relief mission to the Eastern Visayas. On November 21, material donations will be distributed by GABRIELA members and volunteer health workers doing typhoon relief work.
“It is high time that the Aquino government get its act together rather than waste time and effort defending itself from international criticism for its glaringly disorganized and incompetent response to the disaster brought about by Super Typhoon Yolanda,” states Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan. Violence and rape of women and children are escalating in areas hit by the Super Typhoon Yolanda, and the lack of timely systematized relief to the people is merely a reflection of government corruption and neglect even before the typhoon hit.
How to donate:
To ensure aid reaches the Philippines as fast as possible, GABRIELA-USA is collecting and remitting monetary donations. GABRIELA-USA is partnering with NAFCON and the Bayanihan Relief campaign to accept online donations. Donations can be made through NAFCON’s Paypal account at http://nafconusa.org/programs/.
Please make a note on the NAFCON paypal page that you heard about the relief effort through GABRIELA. Checks can be made payable to “St. George Fontana” and on the memo ine, write “NAFCON Bayanihan Relief” and send check/cash donations to your nearest GABRIELA chapter. Please include your return address with your donation. For qualifying tax-deductible donations, please email trea@nafconusa.org for necessary documentation.
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