PHILIPPINE Consulate GENERAL IN NEW York DONATES usd17,000 for typhoon victims IN Bicol

26 February 2007 – Consul General Cecilia Rebong of the Philippine Consulate in New York , U.S.A. reported to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo that the Consulate remitted Php813,841.37 (USD17,025.97) to the Philippine National Red Cross for the victims of Typhoon Reming in Bicol.

The substantial cash donation came from the generosity of the Filipino community in New York , New Jersey and other states under the Consulate’s jurisdiction. The amount was remitted through the Philippine National Bank in New York , which waived the remittance charges.

The Consulate General first issued advisories to help the typhoon victims in December 2006. “The donations soon started coming in, beginning from the organizations that co-sponsored last year's nine-day Simbang Gabi,” Consul General Rabong said. “The co-sponsoring organizations donated the proceeds of each evening's second collection for the typhoon victims.”

The Consulate also received check and cash donations from individuals, some of whom requested anonymity, families and organizations. Visitors to the Consulate General dropped cash donations into the Consulate’s donation box at the consular processing section.

Contributions were also made through organizations such as the Bicol National Association of America (BNAA) and the ABS-CBN Foundation. The BNAA-New Jersey Chapter conducted its own fund-raising campaign and has been sending the donations directly to the Diocese of Legaspi.

As of 2 February, the Filipino Reporter, a Fil-Am newspaper in the area, has raised USD20,516.00 and will send the donation directly to the Diocese of Legaspi.

Aside from donating cash, the Filipino community generously gave in-kind assistance, such as clothes and canned goods. To facilitate the shipment of these donations, Consul General Rebong has personally requested door-to-door forwarders to waive the shipment fee. “The responses have been positive,” she remarked. To date, cargo forwarding companies FOREX and Port Jersey have already cooperated with BNAA for the shipment of such donations. END

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