Media Advisory

Alliance Update

Contact Person: Arturo P. Garcia

Phone- (213) 241-0906

October 25, 2009

STP Typhoon Relief Operation Gains Support in Key US Cities, Relief Drive Extended

Los Angeles--The Sagip Tulong sa Pilipinas (STP) campaign gained massive support among different communities in the US . As of October 16, organizers have collected and sorted out an equivalent of 170 boxes of clothing, canned goods, shoes, bottled water and other materials.

This is on top of around 250 boxes that People’s CORE facilitated to send to the Philippines through another organization in LA. The GABNET Los Angeles has sent 52 Boxes to the GWP group in the Philippines.

Pledges, cash and check donations totaled around $ 10,000—meant mainly to purchase medicines and supplies in the Philippines for medical missions. STP collection centers like DAMAYAN Migrant Workers in New York and People’s CORE in Los Angeles have been flooded with material donations and phone calls throughout the day from ordinary people who were willing to help in any way.

In Los Angeles , the People’s CORE, Alliance Philippines , KmB, Gab-Net and SIPA have joined forces to accommodate an almost 2,000 pounds of donations that poured in last October 3, 2009.

To quote John Eric Concordia: “Sometimes, we have different political views, but there’s something we could all agree upon. Right now, our neighborhood have come together to support our families back home.”

STP Thanks Volunteers and Donors

In both LA and NY, the youth volunteers from KmB Pro-People Youth and Ugnayan and domestic workers provided assistance in the collection and packing of donations. The youth groups in San Diego decided to organize a fundraising gig to raise awareness and collect support at the same time.

The veterans and widows in San Francisco have gathered together to collect cash and checks for medicines. Members of the JFAV and AWARE automatically packed one 20 x 20 Balikbayan box and started to hand out solicitation letters to friends. The CPI and Bagwis Collective in Chicago have resorted to letter campaign and phone brigade to amass support from the Filipino community.

In Washington , the University Baptist Church and the First Baptist Church in Seattle have openly announced in their newsletter and e-mails about the dire situation in the Philippines and leaders have asked for support from the members. The non-Filipino community friends in Vancouver , Canada have responded as well by sending check donations.

The situation in the Philippines remains in peril as new typhoons develop as the Philippine government remains incapable of delivering basic social services most especially to poor communities. Organizers have decided to extend the relief efforts until December 2009.

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The Sagip Tulong sa Pilipinas (STP) campaign gained massive support among different communities in the US . As of October 16, organizers have collected and sorted out an equivalent of 170 boxes of clothing, canned goods, shoes, bottled water and other materials.

This is on top of around 250 boxes that People’s CORE facilitated to send to the Philippines through another organization in LA. The GABNET Los Angeles has sent 52 Boxes to the GWP group in the Philippines.

Pledges, cash and check donations totaled around $ 10,000—meant mainly to purchase medicines and supplies in the Philippines for medical missions. STP collection centers like DAMAYAN Migrant Workers in New York and People’s CORE in Los Angeles have been flooded with material donations and phone calls throughout the day from ordinary people who were willing to help in any way.