Aid for Yolanda victims

Since we dispensed with our annual Christmas contest to instead solicit support for typhoon Yolanda victims, we were able to generate contributions totalling P160,000 and $300 in cash. To those who generously dug into their pockets, thank you very much from the bottom of our heart.

Our donors are Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia P50,000, Kiefer Ravena P50,000, Blackwater Sports PBA D-League team owner and Ever Bilena Cosmetics CEO Dioceldo Sy P20,000, The Herma Group chairman Herminio Esguerra P15,000, Philippine Taekwondo Association president Robert Aventajado P10,000, ALA Group CEO Antonio L. Aldeguer P10,000, Games and Amusements Board chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon P5,000 and Gurmeet Buxani $300.

Of the amount, we turned over P110,000 and $300 to The Philippine Star Operation Damayan fund. Each donor was issued a receipt. Kiefer’s contribution of P50,000 was directly given to Sto. Nino assistant parish priest Fr. Amado Alvero in Tacloban City. The cash was part of what Kiefer raised in a benefit game for Yolanda victims at the Blue Eagle Gym last Nov. 30.  Among those who played in the charity event called “Fastbreak 2” were Kiefer’s brother Thirdy, Chris Tiu, Matt Ganuelas, Bobby Ray Parks, Chris Newsome, Von Pessumal, Nico Elorde, Vhong Navarro, Billy Crawford, Cesar Montano, Derek Ramsey, Jake Pascual, Garvo Lanete, Kevin Alas and Baser Amer. Two years ago, Kiefer organized the original “Fastbreak,” a fund-raiser for typhoon Sendong victims.

Kiefer’s mother Mozzy and the Ravenas are actively involved in providing aid for Yolanda victims. They recently went to Concepcion, Iloilo, to assist in building a school and coordinated efforts with the Department of Education. It’s inspiring to know how Kiefer’s parents Bong and Mozzy brought up their children to embrace the Christian foundations of faith, hope and charity. Kiefer, 20, is a shining example of a young man with a head on his shoulders and a heart of gold.

Buxani, 19, is another example of a college student who went out of her way to bring aid to Yolanda victims. The University of California at Irvine biological sciences sophomore was involved in a campus campaign to raise funds for the victims and during the holidays, returned home to deliver $716.43 – $300 to The Philippine Star Operation Damayan and the balance to the ABS-CBN Foundation. Buxani’s father Anil heads Sonia Trading which distributes Molten, Asics and Mikasa in the Philippines. He also donated a box of 36 Molten basketballs which were given to Fr. Alvero. Kiefer’s donation of P50,000 and the Molten basketballs will be used in a youth tournament that Fr. Alvero is organizing in Tacloban as a vehicle in the process of restoring normalcy in the city.  

There were many others who responded to the call of aid. Ginebra San Miguel PBA team manager Alfrancis Chua donated three boxes of products, Meralco PBA team manager Butch Antonio 15 Bolts T-shirts, Air 21 PBA Board of Governors representative Lito Alvarez 10 caps, 20 fans, 10 pens and 10 notepads, Accel CEO Willie Ortiz 100 T-shirts commemorating the Champions For A Cause benefit game between UAAP champion La Salle and NCAA titlist San Beda, Ever Bilena Cosmetics CEO Dioceldo Sy 20 boxes of Lady G natural health drink, SBP executive director Sonny Barrios 10 FIBA-Asia Peak towels, Maynilad senior vice president and Talk ‘N’ Text PBA Board of Governors representative Patrick Gregorio 10 Smart Communications jackets, Kathy Lim Uy of Bodyworx an American Home Turbo Broiler, Sonia Trading’s Anil Buxani a box of basketballs, volleyballs and soccer balls, ALA Group CEO Antonio L. Aldeguer ALA Boxing hoodie and San Miguel Corp. vice president Kin Lichauco gift certificates, jackets and backpacks.

The PBA has shown support for the victims by bringing relief goods for thousands of homeless families in Tacloban and Bogo, Cebu. PBA chairman Ramon Segismundo and PBA commissioner Chito Salud led visits to both cities ravaged by Yolanda.  For the Tacloban visit, the PBA group included Mark Caguioa, L. A. Tenorio, Jimmy Alapag, Asi Taulava and Danny Seigle. The players who went to Bogo were Arwind Santos, Willie Miller, Alex Cabagnot and Enrico Villanueva.

The NBA and the NBA Players Association donated a total of $500,000 to UNICEF and World Vision for the typhoon victims. The Los Angeles Lakers sent a $150,000 check to the Red Cross and the Miami Heat contributed $1 Million with Fil-Am coach Erik Spoelstra leading the campaign to solicit support. Heat owner Micky Arison, who also controls the world’s largest cruise line Carnival, announced the whopping donation. Lakers star Pau Gasol, a UNICEF ambassador, gave $24,000, making good on his promise to donate $1,000 for every point he scored in a game against the Golden State Warriors last November. Former Lakers coach Phil Jackson chipped in $1,700 on his pledge of $50 for every point and another $50 for every rebound from Gasol in that game. Jackson also vowed to donate $1,000 for every charge that Gasol would take but the Spaniard never did.

FIBA also stepped up to the plate and gave the equivalent of P500,000 through Swiss Chaine de Bonbeur (Swiss Solidarity), an organization based in Switzerland where FIBA has its head office.  FIBA.com has also created a special banner on its homepage to encourage followers to aid the typhoon victims.

FIBA secretaty-general Patrick Baumann sent a letter to SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan expressing “support, solidarity and sincere sympathy” to the Philippines in the wake of the devastation. Baumann said during the FIBA Central Board meeting in Buenos Aires recently, FIBA president Yvan Mainini of France brought up the tragedy in the Visayas and recalled fond memories of his visit to Manila during the FIBA-Asia Championships last August.

Manny Pacquiao went to Tacloban himself. More than the relief goods he distributed, Pacquiao delivered a message of hope and courage – two things he has brought to focus in his career as a world champion boxer. In the heart of the city are three posters reminding everyone of Pacquiao’s visit saying “We Will Win This Fight … Laban Tacloban!” “Laban Pacquiao” and “Mabuhay! Manny Pacquiao ‘Pambansang Kamao’ from Yolanda Survivors.”

It’s heartening to note that everybody is pitching in to alleviate the plight of the less fortunate. If you still haven’t shared whatever you can, it’s not too late.