Corporate aid pours in

MANILA, Philippines - Private and government owned corporations are rushing to help the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda that battered the Visayas last week.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), along with two hotel casinos, pledged to donate P50-million worth of relief goods for the victims in Samar.

PAGCOR assistant vice president for corporate communications Maricar Bautista yesterday said they have tied up with two of the biggest hotel casinos in the country – Travellers International, operator of Resorts World Manila, and Bloomberry which operates the Solaire Resort and Casino – for the “Tayo, Itayo Ang Bayan” to bring aid to the typhoon victims.

Bautista said they have set up their own repacking center at Mariott Hotel in Pasay City.

“We have our own relief operations. PAGCOR, Solaire and Resorts World would have its relief operations starting today at the basement of Mariott Hotel,” Bautista said.

Thousands of employees from PAGCOR, Solaire and Resorts World volunteered for the 24-hour repacking of the relief goods.

A marine landing craft hired by the Energy Development Corp. with 130 tons of relief goods, generator sets and other necessities arrived at the Ormoc Pier last night.

The vessel contained 500 sacks of rice, 30,000 liters of water, three units of 250 KVA generator sets, 800 units of solar flashlights that double as phone chargers, medicine, and 40 solar street lamps, according to Dave Jesus Devilles of the EDC environment and external office.

The generator sets, he said, would be donated to the Ormoc City Hall, Ormoc District Hospital, and Divine Mercy Hospital, while the solar street lamps will be set up in various villages.

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, nearly 40 tons of relief goods were delivered to Ormoc City and Kananga town, both in Leyte, by two helicopters and two planes chartered by the company.

EDC employees from the Bacman Geothermal Production Field took part in search and extraction efforts to locate and relocate affected workers, employees, their relatives as well as other residents who need help. Those rescued were transported to Bicol. All EDC employees in Leyte are alive and accounted for.

AirAsia launches fund drive

International airline firm AirAsia launched a donation and relief campaign called “To Philippines with Love” (#toPHwithlove).

The campaign will include collection of cash donations on flights and at airports throughout the AirAsia Group network, as well as on the AirAsia Foundation microsite.

Free cargo space and free flights for accredited non-government organizations, aid and humanitarian agencies for relief efforts will be offered in addition to 250,000 free seats for Filipinos abroad to return home.

Donors can give their donation online through the  www.airasiafoundation.com/typhoonhaiyan.

The drive will run until the Dec. 31 and the funds will be coursed through the Philippine Red Cross for its relief efforts.

The AirAsia Group will give its own donation equivalent to the total amount collected in the fund drive.

HelpPH, donate through text

The Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) has launched HelpPH (help.ph), a global campaign for donations through mobile load, to help fund programs for relief and reconstruction of typhoon-devastate communities.

The campaign is in partnership with international organizations, local non-government organizations, government agencies and private companies.

Mobile phone users from over 40 countries can directly donate to HelpPh (www.helpphilippines.ph) by sending airtime load to PDRF through BayadLoad, a mobile money service of the Smart Communications, Inc.

To contribute to HelpPh, mobile phone subscribers overseas must key in +63-999-7-000-000 (12-digits) as the beneficiary mobile number and send their donation using the airtime top-up procedure of their specific mobile network operator.

The maximum amount per day is $10. This fund-raising program will continue until Dec. 31.

“The unprecedented scale of the devastation inflicted by Typhoon Yolanda requires a global response. Through HelpPh, we are providing people all over the world the means to send help to those in greatest need through a few clicks on their mobile phones,” said PDRF chairman Manuel Pangilinan.

Through Philippine and international partners, the funds will be channeled to immediate relief efforts and later for long-term recovery programs in areas of great need.

Initial partners for this effort include Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Caritas Manila, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Maynilad Water Services, Philippine Red Cross and TV5 network.

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom said on Saturday that 75 percent of its network in the Visayas has been restored.

Globe has so far restored 90 percent of its network in Cebu and Bohol, 96 percent in Negros Occidental, 97 percent in Negros Oriental, 75 percent in Northern Samar, 76 percent in Iloilo and 60 percent in Antique. – AP, Evelyn Macairan, Rudy Santos, Lalaine Jimenea, Danny Dangcalan