MANILA, Philippines - As sympathies and tributes for the fallen Special Action Forces (SAF) heroes of Mamasapano, Maguindanao continued to swell, #SaluteToThe44, The Philippine STAR’s fund drive for families they left behind, received P710,400 in new donations yesterday.
From the previous sum of P1.92 million, The STAR fund now totals P2.63 million, with each of the 44 families standing to receive P60,000 in endowment from individuals and companies grateful for their sacrifice.
Comprising the new donations are: P500,000 from anonymous benefactors; P100,000 from Francisco Carreon; P50,000 from Dolosa Realty Corp.; P12,000 from Kamuning Bakery; P10,000 from Rosa Cabrerap; P10,000 from an anonymous family in Quezon City; P10,000 from Go Family AKB; and P5,000 each from Shooters Café of Tanza, Cavite, the Accuratus Neuropshiatric & Diagnostic Center, Eduardo Gonzales of Cebu and CBC 75788.
The STAR earlier received P20,000 from Jennifer Chua Lim of RB&J Lim Associates and P10,000 from an anonymous donor c/o M.V.
“The pugon bakers and staff of 76-year-old Kamuning Bakery in Quezon City voluntarily pooled together donations of P12,000 for the families of the massacred 44 SAF policemen. We are also saddened that 14 of the 44 heroes were from the beautiful yet economically neglected Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR),” Kamuning Bakery’s email to The STAR read.
Apart from doing business with rural farmers from CAR where it sources its brewed Arabica coffee, Kamuning Bakery also gives out copies of The STAR to its bread buyers in the morning.
“We hope and pray that our leaders will have the courage and conscience to uphold truth and give justice to the 44 heroes,” their statement added.
STAR president and CEO Miguel Belmonte said The STAR will accept donations to #SaluteToThe44 only until tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 6, so that immediate assistance can be extended to the families of the fallen SAF heroes in their time of need.
Emie Cruz, head of The STAR’s social arm, Operation Damayan, has been tasked to contact the legal beneficiaries of the SAF men and to facilitate the turnover of donations in the coming week.
For contributions to #SaluteToThe44, deposits may be made to The Philippine STAR Operation Damayan savings account no. 151-7-15152422-9, Metrobank Aduana branch and confirmed via tel. no. 336-9598, email damayan@philstar.com.ph., or fax no. 527-6857.