Youth urged: Skip 'gimmicks,' assist typhoon victims

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan , Philippines  – Businessman Joey de Venecia III called on the youth yesterday to “eschew gimmicks” and good times and instead join relief efforts organized by big groups and non-government organizations (NGOs).

“I appeal for greater volunteerism on the part of those who have the time to spare,” the son and namesake of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. said in his blog.

“I know that both the government and the private sector’s capacity to rehabilitate the flood victims in the National Capital Region have been stretched to the limit, yet we cannot ignore our brothers and sisters in northern Luzon whose homes have been damaged. They, too, need relief in the form of food, clothes and emergency shelter.”

The ZTE-national broadband network whistle-blower appealed to young people to organize themselves to clean up communities and “adopt” badly hit barangays.

“Continue to help Ondoy’s victims, but don’t forget those affected by Pepeng,” he said.

“Because Metro Manila has not yet recovered from the effects of Ondoy, it is easy to forget that typhoon Pepeng caused equally devastating damage to Northern Luzon. My home province of Pangasinan was among the hardest hit, with nearby Dagupan also almost totally crippled by Pepeng.”

He described the site of thousands of people rendered hungry and homeless as “truly heartbreaking.”

He said combined with storm Ondoy the previous week, the total number of fatalities has exceeded 400, with an unknown number still unaccounted for with typhoon Pepeng.

He also urged his businessmen friends to keep donating “until it hurts.” He initiated a clean-up drive in Metro Manila immediately after Ondoy and has been concentrating on areas in Central and Northern Luzon hardest hit by Pepeng.  – Jun Elias