Bayanihan

AS Filipino-American Heritage Month comes to a close, now is the best time for Filipino-Americans to extend a helping hand to their kababayans back home, especially to the victims of the Bohol 7.2 magnitude earthquake in the Philippines, as well as to those displaced by the recent Zamboanga crisis.
The Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) along with companies of Filipino business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan and private institutions launched a crowdfunding campaign called Brick by Brick (via www. pdrf.org/brickbybrick to gather donations for the victims of the recent disasters.
According to PDRF, “Crowdfunding relies on donations from individuals and groups to support a variety of causes such as responding to disasters, starting a company or investing in creative projects such as movies. “
A press release from PDRF says that “ a donation of P10 earns the donor a brick on the site, which spells out the names of the three affected areas — Bohol, Cebu and Zamboanga. A running total of the money raised will be posted on the site. The campaign is scheduled to end on December 5, 2013.”
Among  the MVP Group of Companies, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) employees have already contributed P1.5 million; Smart Foundation and One Meralco Foundation have each pledged P1 million; First Pacific Group in Hong Kong has pledged $20,000 for the cause; Metro Pacific Foundation will give P1 million; Metro Pacific Tollways group has pledged P500,000 and Philex Foundation, P300,000.
“Our Tulong Kapatid Foundation has been sending relief goods to the areas affected by disasters. However, we wanted to do more.  We wanted to use an innovative way to raise funds to help rebuild these cities.  It is our hope that companies and foundations from every sector of the country and the world will join this fundraising effort,” said Pangilinan.
“Tribal DDB, one of the world’s top digital ad agencies, worked with PLDT and Smart to develop the Brick by Brick concept and website where donors from around the world can give money via PayPal, SmartMoney or Pasaload to rebuild the devastated areas ‘brick by brick,’ the press release said further.
Former CEO of TLC Beatrice International and community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis has provided $5,000 for the cause, while CEO of US Education Finance Henry Howard has also pledged $5,000.
Land Bank of the Philippines President Gilda Pico has pledged P1 million to the cause as well, and will be accepting dollar and peso donations in its 340 branches nationwide through the following account numbers: 3404-0323-39 for dollar deposits and 3402-1037-51 for peso donations.
Other partners in the campaign include Western Union, the Commission for Overseas Filipinos, the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NAFFAA), NATTCO (the largest federation of cooperatives in the Philippines) and the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of New York, who has volunteered its Paypal account to transmit donations.
“All funds raised will be turned over to various groups in these cities including Gawad Kalinga, Caritas and local government units.  The money will be used mainly for the rebuilding of houses, schools and churches,” says PDRF.
Your kind generosity, no matter how small, will go a long way. After all, there is no characteristic more defining of being Filipino than the bayanihan spirit.
(AJPress)