UPDATE: FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FOR TYPHOONS ONDOY and PEPENG VICTIMS
by KNIGHTS OF RIZAL-HAWAII
October 12, 2009

ALOHA, Rizalian Brothers!

Here's sharing you some update on the Philippine Typhoon Relief Fund Drive in Hawaii.

The Filipino community in Hawaii has come together -- putting aside any differences, regional, personal, or whatever -- and rallied behind the campaign to raise funds to help our kababayan in the Philippines who were badly affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. Community organizations agreed to direct collections through the Filipino Community Center, a 501c3 non-profit organization which has become the embodiment of bayanihan in the Aloha State. The FilCom Center President (Geminiano Arre, Jr.), I must say, is a past Commander of the Knights of Rizal. The core organizers of this statewide ad hoc committee are made up of five people: Serafin "Jun Colmenares -- chair, also a past Knights of Rizal-Hawaii Commander and currently the Deputy Area Commander for the western region in the US --, Geminiano Arre, Tony Sagayadoro, Raymund Liongson, and Consul Paul Cortez. Except for Consul Cortes, all four of the five are Knights of Rizal! Should this be surprising? A coincidence? Or, is this another suggestion that Rizalian Knights do share some things in common and that they need to tap them for common good? (Seeing the Consul as exemplifying and embracing many of the thoughts and principles of Dr. JPR, we might as well invite him to join us.)

Hawaii held a multi-site telethon (directed by KoR Tony Sagayadoro) and networked with various organizations and corporate businesses -- some of the leaders in these organizations are members of the Order themselves. To date, the relief drive has raised over US$50,000. We have decided to work with non-government entities in the Philippines (this is the community consensus) and are ready to tranmit $40,000 to help victims in the worst-affected areas: Caritas ($30,000) and Consuelo Foundation ($10,000). These non-profit foundations, we found out, are directly assisting victims in the disaster-hit areas. The rest of the collections (and forthcoming collections) will be sent following updates on the situation there.

The relief drive is very contagious. After an impressive relief drive initiated by young students at a community college, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the main campus, launched theirs last week. Some business groups have offered to match community donations; a local airline (not PAL) has offered to donate $5 for every purchased Honolulu-Manila ticket. Generosity has taken different shapes and looks -- limited only by human imagination.

As we see in televised news, the situation in the Philippines continues to be rough and tough -- with thousands upon thousands still isolated and in dire need of help. Provinces in northern Luzon (like Pangasinan) are fooded due to the release of water from nearby dams. Countless of people in Metro Manila are still sardine-packed in relief centers. A lot of work still needs to be done.

Let us continue to focus our energies in trying to help our kababayan and kapatid left behind. This is a productive use of our energy, time, talent, creativity, and resourcefulness. Let us flood them with love . . . and hope.

In our Rizalian way, not everything in us shall die. Our thoughtfulness will will multiply and live in the hearts and minds of people beyond our time.

Raymund Liongson
Knights of Rizal-Hawaii

 

 

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