FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2009
Contact: Eugene Gambol
anakbayansd@gmail.com
(916)-296-4848
Anakbayan San Diego Launches Emergency Relief Drive for Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana).
Details: San Diego – Anakbayan San Diego are organizing efforts to raise funds for victims of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana). On Saturday September 26th, Typhoon Ondoy struck the Philippines with the heaviest rainfall recorded followed by the worst flooding in 40 years.
There are at least 277 people dead or missing and over half a million displaced, injured or have lost all of their belongings. There are still as least 1 million people without electricity. Scenes are eerily similar to “Hurricane Katrina” and the devastation of Typhoon Ondoy has only just begun.
Anakbayan San Diego is calling upon Filipinos and allies in the San Diego community to lend a helping hand. This is our chance to make a difference and save lives. This is a chance to help heal our homeland, help our fellow Kababayan (Countrymen/Countrywoman).
Anakbayan San Diego is a member of both Anakbayan Philippines and the umbrella organization BAYAN USA. Anakbayan San Diego is also an ally of the Filipino women’s organization GABRIELA USA. Donations will go to the relief efforts of the three groups: BAYAN’S “Bayanihan Alay sa Sambayanan”, Anakbayan’s “Tulong Kabataan”, and GABRIELA USA’s Typhoon Ondoy Relief Fund.
On an ordinary day, balsa in Filipino means “boat” or “raft.” But post-Ondoy, BALSA (Bayanihan Alay sa Sambayanan, or “People’s Cooperation for the People”). Established 12 years ago by BAYAN Philippines, BALSA is a grassroots initiative coordinating everyday people like you and me to respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crisis. Tulong Kabataan is a donation and relief drive of Anakbayan and other major youth organizations in the Philippines to mobilize youth power to help victims of Typhoon Ondoy. GABRIELA-USA is the first overseas chapter of the Philippine-based organization GABRIELA, extending the Filipino women’s mass movement to the United States. All three organizations are integrated with the Filipino masses, ensuring all donations will be effectively distributed to those most in need.
Anakbayan San Diego is also in the process of developing Drop-Off locations in the San Diego area for people to donate: Rice, Water, Canned Goods, Cooking Oil, Cooking Utensils, Medicines, Blankets/Banigs, Toiletries, Clothes, and other basic necessities. All cash and drop-off donations will be divided amongst the three relief efforts.
All donations will go to relief efforts in the Metro Manila area and surrounding provinces that are in dire need of help. Anakbayan San Diego is asking the San Diego Community to support these heroic relief efforts during this time of tragedy.
Online donations via paypal can be made at:
For BALSA http://www.bayanusa.org.
For Tulong Kabataan http://3.ly/tulong
For GABRIELA USA http://bit.ly/ornJy
Drop-off Centers: Anakbayan SD is teaming up with the Kuya Ate Mentorship program (KAMP) and will have a drop box at San Diego’s FilAm Fest on Saturday October 3. The Festival starts from 11 am – 6 pm. It is located on Paradise Valley Rd. between Woodman St. & Gilmartin Ave. We will be located at the Cultural Tent. Other drop-off locations TBA
Anakbayan SD 
CLARIFICATION
Anakbayan SD’s relief drive will only be going through BALSA relief efforts. We do however still encourage those that want to donate directly to Tulong Kabataan and Gabriela Women’s Party to do so.
We must emphasize that donations through BALSA as the relief operation of BAYAN Philippines will also support the Youth/Student and Women’s sector. BAYAN Philippines is a multi-sectoral alliance, so donations through BALSA will be distributed to the different sectors according to need.
Anakbayan SD in conjunction with all the other BAYAN USA chapters will be supporting the BALSA relief drive. Our immediate goal is to raise $10,000 in the US before the end of October.
THANK YOU