29 November 2013 - Two private organizations from the United States have sent large shipments of aid for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in the Philippines.
AmeriCares, based in Stamford, Connecticut, sent US$1.4 million worth of medicines (antibiotics, bandages, dressings for wound care, pain medication, hypertension and diabetes), relief supplies (blankets, hygiene items, food and water and over-the-counter supplies such as toothpaste, creams, cough medicine and pain relief medications), medical supplies (sutures, catheters, gloves, medical tape, thermometers), and equipment (wheelchairs and generators).
The beneficiaries of AmeriCares included the Brig. General Benito Ebuen Hospital in Cebu; International Medical Corps and NY Medics teams providing care across the affected areas, including isolated communities in Samar and Leyte; Divine Word Hospital in Tacloban; Tacloban Department of Health; Rural Health Units in Roxas, Capiz; Department of Health offices in Pilar and Pontevedra in Capiz; and St. Camillus Hospital in Samar.
On November 18, AmeriCares held a gathering of supporters and friends where Mr. Curt Welling, CEO and President, shared with the audience the large-scale response that AmeriCares had done for typhoon-devastated areas in the Philippines. Philippine Consul General Mario De Leon, Jr. and Deputy Consul General Zaldy Patron were among the guests invited.
The second donor, the New York City-based Catholic Media Medical Board (CMMB), gave various essential medicines (antibiotics, anti-diarrheal, wound care) and medical supplies (gloves masks, bandages, splints, fluids and salines) worth US$1.5 million. The donations, sent via UPS air cargo, was consigned to ABS-CBN Foundation, which will distribute them to the communities affected by the typhoon.
The CMMB aid was made possible through the joint efforts of Mr. Adrian Kerrigan (CMMB’s Senior Vice President for Advancement), Mr. Ramon Villongco (Overall Project Facilitator of the relief effort and Chairman of the Suffolk County Asian American Advisory Board), Ms. Fe Martinez (President of PIDCI), Mr. Johnny Rustia (Chairperson of the Multicultural Development Outreach for the American Heart Association of Delaware Valley), Ms. Tomoko Tori (President & Executive Director Harmony for Peace Foundation), Ms. Evangeline Manjares (President of Filipino Children's Funds, Inc.), Ms. Libby Carroll (Office of Constituent Affairs, Office of the Nassau County Executive), Ms. Baisy Apostol (Office of Rev. Msgr. Kieran Harrington, Vicar for Communications Diocese of Brooklyn), and Mr. Chris Peak (Vice President of UPS).
Consul General De Leon and Deputy Consul General Patron went to the CMMB warehouse in New York City on November 26 to witness the loading of the CMMB boxes of medicines and medical supplies to the UPS container truck before they were brought to Newark International Airport in New Jersey.
Consul General De Leon thanked AmeriCares and CMMB for their donations by saying "I am deeply grateful to AmeriCares and CMMB for sending these medicines, medical supplies and relief goods that are badly needed right now in the typhoon-devastated areas in the Philippines. The medicines and medical supplies, in particular, will be very useful for the treatment of some of the 25,000 people who have been injured by the typhoon. They will also be used to care for the survivors and help prevent an outbreak of serious diseases.” END