Hoy, hoy, Ondoy!
MANILA, Philippines – For as long as we are living, we should continue giving. This was the guiding principle behind “Hoy Hoy, Ondoy!”—an event organized by concerned citizens of the republic that gathered artists from the different fields of fashion, music, showbiz and multimedia all together in one roof to call to attention what we can still do for the victims of typhoon Ondoy.
One phone call can save lives. One status message can help a lot of people. One tweet can result to a big number of volunteers and relief goods. This we learned the past week and we continue to use now to remind each other of the things we still need to do. It took a tragedy for us to do so, and now we are slowly picking up the pieces. The work doesn’t stop.
I was in Singapore that fateful night and so I went on FB and Twitter to see what I can do to help. The next day, I called up my friends Robby Carmona of Saga, Jay Ortega of Ministry of Fun and Champ Lui Pio of Hale. I told them to go ahead and meet-we had to do something. Twenty people showed up at the meeting, all with their own ideas on how to help. “Hoy Hoy Ondoy” is a simplified result of that meeting.
With only three working days, we set everything in motion. Champ and Jay called out the bands, while Robby, with the help of Julie Ann Aguila and Bambi Hernandez and the rest of the Saga team sourced the suppliers. Setcheck Inc, Forsc Ink, RSL. Signum Event Engineering, Joint Venture and All Scope Cinema and Jagnusten Corp—all waived their rental fees for the production for this cause. Taguig First Lady Kaye Tinga gave us free use of the NBC Tent. You are a blessing, Kaye.
Artists unite
During moments of war, artists would go to the troops to provide entertainment. That’s the role of artists-to provide inspiration. And that’s exactly what the Pinoy artists who had gathered last Wednesday did inside the NBC Tent—they gave the audience an outpour of inspiration while soliciting donations and pledges for the Red Cross. The bands—Paraluman, Us-2 Evil-0, 6CycleMind, Mayonnaise, Dice & K9/ Mobbstarr, Zach and The Actionpact, Cueshe, Imago, Angulo, Kastigo, SinoSikat?, Southern Grass, Hilera, Blue Jean Junkies featuring Jaime Wilson, Session Road, The Philippine All Stars, Hale, Camerawalls, Miguel Escueta, The Blue Rats, Johnny Alegre, Noli Aurillo & Emee Fortuno, DRT, Joey Ayala, Kjwan, Taken by Cars Pedicab, Peryodiko and Sandwich—all played pro bono for Hoy Hoy Ondoy.
At the lobby of the NBC Tent were mannequins (provided by Folded and Hung) wearing clothes by the country’s top designers-Rajo Laurel, Rhett Eala, Dennis Lustico, Patrice Ramos-Diaz, Charina Sarte and Martin Bautista. These were up for auction, and fetched P80,000 in donations. The Professional Models Association of the Philippines or PMAP girls Ornusa Cadness, Mia Ayesa and Sanya Smith served as guardian of the gates wherein people dropped their Red Cross donations at the big white box before entering.
All day, the NBC Tent was flooded—with donations. Thai Airways sent 10,000 blankets plus a pledge of 10 tons of rice and medical teams coming this Monday from Bangkok. Businessman Ricky See of Regent Foods sent a truckload of their goods for relief and man about town Richard Tiu sent 5,000 pairs of slippers. A representative from the Aboitiz group went to the event to check if the fund raising was legit, and upon meeting us, sent 3,000 colored eco-friendly bags filled with relief goods. IT girl of another level Divine Lee, not content with setting up her own relief operations collated P185,000 and Metrocard Club’s Ronald Singson gave P100,000. Iza Calzado won the bid for Thai Airways business class tickets to Bangkok while Illac Diaz won the bid for Oakley shades. Embassy served bar, Team Manila sold“Help. Inspire. Love. Rebuild. Donate” posters and Revo Naval sold his Peace Love and Revolution “Cory-Ninoy P500” stickers.
All proceeds from the auction, bar and ticket donation and sales went straight to the Red Cross that night. Philippine National Red Cross fund generating officer Rizza Colobong and her team were there to personally acknowledge all forms of donations with receipts.
After the yellow fever, now comes the red fever-a fever for helping others. God bless the Filipino.
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Lets continue giving, follow me at www.twitter.com/iamtimyap
