A town meeting sponsored by Sydney’s Philippine Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis appeared have rationalised various fund raising initiatives by Sydney’s Philippine church groups, community organisations, peer groups and concerned individuals who were moved by the news about the mammoth destruction in Eastern Visayas in the Philippines.
UPDATE – Dr Corazon Francisco reported to Bayanihan News that the Philippine Australian Medical Association or PAMA was able to raise $16,000 running balance as of Tuesday 19 November, of which $6,000 was already sent to Leyte and Samar. PAMA has an ongoing mission team in the area.
The meeting was held shortly after the celebration of Catholic Holy Mass at the Bulwagang Rizal auditorium of the Philippine Consulate General office on Wenthworth Avenue last Thursday evening of 14 November. Officiated by Fr Manny Santiago of Hurstville, the holy mass contributed its offering collections to the Philippine Red Cross.
Members of the Philippine Red Cross who were attending a weeklong conference in Sydney Darling Harbour were invited guests.
A number of community groups who were represented in the meeting and had just rounded up their solicitations for Bohol earthquake appeal, had given way to share proceeds to help victims of the next disaster brought by the super typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in Eastern Visayas in the Philippines.
After a Catholic mass was held at the Philippine Consulate in Sydney, peak organisation Philippine Community Council of New South Wales (PCC-NSW) president Mrs Elsa Collado presented to the Philippine Red Cross delegation a cheque as donation to the charity society.
In a later town meeting, PCC-NSW and other fund raisers reported to the Philippine Consulate General and a body of invited guests, and community media outlet representatives.
Web publisher and community broadcaster Ms Michele Baltazar who had relatives living in typhoon devastated cities of Tacloban and Ormoc in Leyte, reported she was able to raise $5,000 during her 48-hour community wide combined social media and web site network fund appeal. She had remitted part of the fund to her “people on the ground in Tacloban City.
Others who reported were Daisy Cummings of the Filipino Plaza association, former beauty queen and now Sydney solicitor Ms April Lim. former Philippine consul and now Sydney resident Ms Linda Baisa, and executive producer of SBS Filipino Radio Mr Ronald Manila as well as Dra Corazon Francisco of a doctors’ association.
President Ms Elsa Collado of PCC-NSW had just concluded its community-wide fund raiser for Bohol earthquake called “Arise” held at the Bowman Hall in Blacktown, reported substantial proceeds from various activities including the concert with donated free performances by Sydney’s Philippine community entertainers and talents coordinated by Miss Lilian delos Reyes.
Dra Corazon Francisco of the Philippine Australian Medical Association (PAMA) which was also consolidating it fund raiser to benefit Bohol earthquake victims, also appended helping Typhoon Yolanda victims in its project.
In a related email, Atty Lolita Farmer OAM of Oatlands, NSW revealed another Catholic mass to lift to God people of Leyte who suffered the brunt of the destruction by Typhoon Yolanda was being planned in Parramatta and to be officiated by Parramatta Archbishop Anthony Fisher.
Meanwhile, The FCF Life Centre in Minchinbury, NSW held a Typhoon Yolanda appeal among its friends and congregation during its Sunday service two days after the typhoon’s landfall and after news about vast destruction in Tacloban City spread worldwide.
FCF Life Centre Senior Pastor Rudy Tan had announced three more consecutive Sundays of “mercy giving” to help Typhoon Yolanda victims. Additionally, proceeds of FCF’s planned Christmas Carnival on its church grounds in Minchinbury on Saturday December 7 and Sunday December 8 will also be a fund raising for Typhoon Yolanda victims.