(Editor’s note: Speech delivered by Mr Alex Sy, President of the Cebuano Association of Australia, last 15 March 2014 during the “Wild Wild West” event in West Sunshine.)
On Friday, Nov 8, 2013, one of the biggest Storms that’s ever recorded struck Central Philippines, being Typhoon Haiyan (or Yolanda)
Exactly one week, on Friday Nov 15, the Cebuano Association of Australia launched one of the biggest Fundraising Event with close to 700 people attended that night at the Springvale Town Hall
The Event was widely attended by various Filipino Groups, Community Leaders, Politicians, Mayor of Greater City of Dandenong, our Philippines Consul General of Victoria – Gigi Kalong, our Filipino Chaplain of Melbourne – Fr Loi, Filipino newspapers, our sponsors, and most especially by the Victorian Community. This Event was also covered by the ABC-Chanel 2 News.
On this Night, we accepted Relief Goods and Cash Donations from the Victorian Community and Businesses.
We continued to accept cash donations and relief goods right up till Christmas
From the Relief Goods, we manage to:
Fill 1x40ft Container
19 Balikbayan Boxes
In January 2014, few Committee Officers, Members and Friends, made a Relief Giving Mission for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda, North of Cebu handing out Relief packs
We covered the Areas of: Bogo, Medillien, San Remigio, Daan Bantayan, and cross the sea to Bantayan Island in the towns of Bantayan and Madridejos
We decided to make contact with the Local Churches, the local Parish Priest to assist us delivering our relief packs.
We purchased Relief Packs for 900 families evenly spread in each of these towns.
We focused in remote areas forgotten by relief agencies, and give relief packs to the most needy, the poor, who were badly affected by the Typhoon
Area 1: In Bogo, we went to a place called Sitio Maranggog, situated approx 20 minutes away from the town, right up in the Hills.
Sr Jesa Jumao-as was in charge of the orphanage, whereby she assembled families from the nearby hills from three different sitios or barrios.
The Cebuano Association also donated to the oOrphange tarpaulins, mosquito nets, rainjackets, school bags, and food to the orphan children.
Area 2: In San Remigio
Here, we were assisted by Fr Fritzy who assembled badly affected families, the very poor, to receive our relief packs at the San Remigio Church
Area 3: In Medillien
Here, we were assisted by Fr Manuel Tan, together with his helpers took us to a place called Dawis, a very remote fishing village, where he assembled families to receive our relief packs
Area 4: In Daan Bantayan
Here, we were assisted by Fr John Orlat, who assembled badly affected families, the very poor, to receive our relief packs at the Daan Bantayan Church.
Here he gave us an account of what took place at the height of the storm, even his church was badly damaged.
Area 5: here we crossed the seas, in a perilous journey to Bantayan Island. In Bantayan, we were greeted and assisted by Monsignor Boboy Romanillios, who took us to a place called Punta Sulangan, a very remote place away from the town centre. Here he assembled families to receive our relief packs
Area 6: In Madridejos
Here we were greeted by Fr Gil Guardianio, together with his helper took us to a place called Sitio Caguan-nan. This time we went huts to huts, walking several metres from the road, right into the remote places and gave out our relief packs
With our Fundraising Monies that was raised, we further donated:
$2000 to the Red Cross Cebu
$2000 to the Rotary Club of Cebu
$2000 to ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya
$1500 to the Boholano Group in Victoria to assist the earthquake victims in Bohol, forging greater friendship between the people of Cebu and Bohol.
We purchased these relief packs to feed 900 families, and in each of these relief packs can feed a family of 4 for two days at a cost of $5.80.
With our relief goods, in total there are nine shipping containers. Thanks to SPC Ardmona, who donated 8x20ft shipping containers full of SPC Ardmona products
We are happy to announce that:
Despite several challenges dealing with DSWD, Customs and BIR, these nine shipping containers have now been released and it is now in the care of Rotary Cebu who will organise sorting, repacking and distribution of these relief goods.
That the 19 balikbayan boxes arrived safely at the Philippines Red Cross Cebu who distributed these to 2500 Families across North of Cebu.
However, it is so disheartening to see a lot of shipping containers that are still in the Port of Cebu awaiting distribution to the typhoon victms, delayed due to paperwork, follow-up and especially government bureaucracy or red tape.
Equally disheartening to see and hear that some relief goods have not been distributed evenly to the victims because of political reasons.
I’m glad that I was there to assist Rotary Club of Cebu towards expediting release of our containers.
I’m glad I was there to make contact with DSWD to ensure proper release of our containers, and establish good relationship.
I’m happy to announce that the Rotary Club of Cebu made a special presentation at their meeting at the Marriot Hotel, to the Cebuano Association, for all the work we have done for the Victims of Typhoon Yolanda, and I was so humbled and honoured to receive on behalf of the Cebuano Association and the Victorian community.
We will never forget our experiences during our relief giving mission, what to expect when we reach these places, thinking “will our relief truck be ambushed?”, the emotions that we all felt as we gave out these relief packs.
But all these have been erased when we see the smiles in people’s faces, saying Thank You to us and Saying Thank You to the Victorian Community. To see in their faces that there is HOPE.
Once again, I thank the whole Victorian community towards the support they have shown in our fundraising efforts.
To businesses that sponsored and donated relief goods;
To our major sponsors during our fundraising night;
To everyone who donated prizes for our raffles and door prizes during our fundraising night;
To various Filipino groups and community leaders, who showed their support;
To other ethnic groups who supported us;
To our Cebuano members for your support and encouragement;
To my Committee officers for their unselfish efforts during our fundraising activity, and to some officers who took part with the relief giving mission;
To the Office of the Philippines Consulate, Ms Gigi Kalong, who has been very instrumental with her support in our fundraising activities;
And to you, for all your continued support.
I would like also to announce that the Cebuano Association of Australia is now in Partnership with Dancesport Team Cebu City, towards providing Hope and Opportunity for the Street Kids in Cebu with the love of Dance. We will be providing Dance shoes for these Street Kids.
Now is the time to become a proud member of this organisation, and be part of a good team.
You can access our Facebook page for more photos, or you can view via You Tube our Relief Giving work in Cebu.
In closing, I would like to leave you with this saying by Miss Bea Rose Santiago, crowned Miss International 2013. In her Q&A segment she was asked:
“What I would do if I become Miss International?” She answered: “The whole world saw how my country suffered. One by one, other countries helped. You have opened my heart and eyes on what we can do to help each other. I will work to sustain the spirit of sympathy and spirit of hope. As long as we work together, there is hope.”
Such a powerful message, “As long as we work together, there is hope”
Ladies and gentlemen, we can work together to give hope……thank you….
Additional Notes:
19 Balikbayan Boxes full of Relief Goods successfully distributed to victims of Typhoon Yolanda.
I’m proud to announce that the Cebuano Association of Australia has sent 19 Balikbayan boxes to the Philippines Red Cross Cebu in which they managed to sort, repack and distribute.
As follows:
*Feb 4: 57 Families: SRP Tent City.
*Feb 9: 654 Families: Carnaza Island, Daan Bantayan
*Feb 12: 414 Families: Sitio Kalim-au and Kanluhangon in Tabuelan
*Feb 14: 372 Families: Sitio Siocon, Bogo
*Feb 22: 651 Families: Poblacion Lawis and Dapdap, San Remigio
*Feb 25: 332 Families: Sitio Busugon and Victoria, San Remigio
Thank you to the Victorian community for all your donations of relief goods, and to the team of Red Cross Cebu for successfully organising the distribution to 2,500 families in these very remote areas North of Cebu.
Rotary Cebu have successfully taken control of the 19 shipping containers full of relief goods. Thanks to our good fFriends, SPC Ardmona for donating 8x20ft containers.
Rotary Cebu, with their logistics and manpower, have sorted, repacked and distributed these to relevant Rotary Clubs across Central Visayas for immediate distribution to typhoon victims in the remote areas. Full update and photos are yet to come….
