23 countries reach out to Yolanda survivors

The loss of life, suffering and misery wrought by super typhoon Yolanda  has touched the hearts of many people around the world. The cities, provinces and towns in the Visayas region are clearly in need of help and many nations and non-government organizations have rushed to provide it.

As of now, over 23 countries have reached out to help the Philippines, spearheaded by the US, which aside from the humanitarian assistance also sent military aide.

Other countries that have extended their help are Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom.  The European Union   and international organizations and institutions such as the United Nations World Food Program, UNICEF, the Red Cross, World Vision, Doctors Without Borders and others have also sent staff and supplies as quickly as possible.

With Cebu City as the staging grounds for relief efforts I have become familiar with laudible efforts of some of these organizations, one foreign and two local.

France immediately sent a humanitarian team from the French non-government organization Action Inernationale Contrel a Faim (AICF) accompanied by 16 civil security officers and two officers from the French government’s Crisis Center based in Paris. They arrived in Cebu last Nov. 16, on board a plane chartered by EADS, a European company specializing in aerospace and defense.

Forty French firefighters arrived a few days later also coming from France on special duty.

 The initial French assistance of 10 tons of relief goods was augmented with 100 tons of equipment that included water purification systems, material for shelter, and medical kits. This assistance will be followed by subsequent phases of French aid in the coming weeks.

Manny Osmeña, founder and chairman of Manny O. Group and Tony Meloto, founder and chairman of Gawad Kalinga have  forged a partnership to respond to the needs of the victims of typhoon Yolanda  who lost  loved ones, their homes  and livelihood.

Both institutions are committed to rebuilding the  communities with livelihood programs in Leyte, Samar and Cebu with a pledge of up to P20 million.

Through the  â€œYolanda Rebuild Program” of the Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu, the Manny O. Group  promised   to donate 80 percent of its room revenue proceeds during  a “special sale” for room certificates purchased between Nov. 15 to 24. These certificates are valid till May 31, 2014.

Meloto said, “The partnership of Gawad Kalinga with Mövenpick Hotel Mactan, is a celebration of hope — that we can rise together from the worst of calamities through miracles of solidarity.”

For his part, Manny Osmeña was elated that he shares the same philosophy with Meloto.  “For a business to be sustainable, everybody has to progress, the company, the community and people.”   He further stated that  “after the Yolanda Rebuild Program, they will look into a long-term and sustainable solution in helping each other do their  part in rebuilding the nation.”

Crew Asia, a crew agency based in Cebu that  supplies Filipino crew exclusively to the Mega Yacht Industry and has a data base consisting of over 500 candidates with yachting experience also extended their helping hand by visiting Cebu’s northern town  Hagnaya, Bogo,  and distributed buckets of rice, canned goods, candles, lighters, medicines and vitamins. Spearheading the program was Alan Mill Irving and his wife Lisa. They were assisted by volunteers of Crew Asia staff Inday Sia, Shiela Calunsag and Windell Simeon. Employees of Marco Polo Hotel, and GCMA (Genius Creation Mastermind Alliance–Cebu chapter also donated assorted canned goods.  Financial aid also came from yacht crew of other nationalities, yacht captains, yacht owners and Filipino yacht crew who have not been affected by the typhoon.

Once again in times of calamities in life, we remove barriers, think as one race and respond accordingly.  We forget about cast and creed, differences among us and start helping the people who are in desperate need of help.