21 November 2013 –Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz led the Embassy, Philippine Overseas Labor 
Office (POLO) and Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) staff in attending a concert organized by the officers and members of the various Filipino community organizations in Lebanon to raise funds and collect donations in kind for the victims of the super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in the Visayas on November 17.
The concert entitled: “OFW Kapit Bisig” was held at the basketball court of the St. Francis Church in Hamra, Beirut, immediately after the noontime mass. St. Francis Church is one of the Catholic churches in Lebanon where many Filipinos attend mass on Sundays. During the fund raising activity, the amount of US$1,100.00 and seven (7) boxes of donations in kind including clothes, grocery items and blankets were collected.
The event was organized by the Samahan ng Manggagawa sa Lebanon (SML), Western Visayas Association in Lebanon (WEVAL), FIL-LEB and Sang’s Angels, which also donated for the victims of the super typhoon. Other Filipino community groups and individuals who supported the event were the Sarba Group, Filipino Worker Association in Metn (FILWAM), Filipino Cultural Guild (FCG), White Angels Group, Samahan ng Manggagawang Babae (SMB), Rockers, Zizling Siters, and various well-known Filipino-Lebanese individuals. The talented performers during the concert were various Filipino workers in Lebanon and children of Filipinos married to Lebanese.
In her message, Ambassador Ruiz commended the various Filipino association and individuals for their support and assistance to the victims of the super typhoon and underscored the “bayanihan” spirit that is well alive among Filipinos in Lebanon especially in this time of crisis. She also gave them an update on the Philippine government relief operations, as well as rescue and recovery efforts.
The organizers will also solicit cash donations from churchgoers at the St. Francis Church in the next two Sundays and, along with the amount raised during the concert, the total funds collected as well as the donations in kind already gathered will be sent through the GMA Kapuso Foundation. END