Rotary's Ad Hoc Central Philippines Typhoon Relief Effort

 
Over the Christmas Holidays, our Rotary Club has been in contact with President Jacob Ong of the Rotary Club of Cebu, Philippines to Lend A Hand to Rotarians of Central Philippines. Similar to our Club, the Rotary Club of Cebu is the second oldest Rotary club in Asia and the Philippines, and is considered the “Mother Club” in District 3860 that includes most of the Visayans Islands in Central Philippines.  (Rotary Club of Manila is the first). As such, their club has been assigned by District Governor Anna Bumagat to be the conduit to receive donations in kind or in cash to Cebu Island Area  to provide relief from the damage caused by Typhoon Ria.   
 
Humanitarian agencies have warned the true scale of destruction remains unknown, partly because rescue workers are unable to access some disaster-hit areas. It is estimated by UNICEF that close to one million children are lacking drinking water, sanitation, and housing due to to the Typhoon Ria,  known locally as Odette, this super-storm has now claimed at least 375 lives since it ripped through the archipelago late last week.    
 
Our Rotary Club of New York knows first-hand how quick and cost-effective "Direct Ad Hoc Club to Club Financial Donations" are.  When our city was devastated by the 9/11 Terrorist Attack twenty years ago, dozens and dozens of Rotary Clubs from around the world sent our Foundation donations, both large and small. Thanks to these donations, our club was able to provide vital assistance to hundreds of 9/11 victims, especially those that fell thru the cracks of our beloved city's safety net,  because of the generous Rotarians around the world.
 
Any fellow Rotarians that would like to make a contribution to the Rotary Club of Cebu  Ad Hoc Typhoon Relief Effort please contact Andreas at executivedirector@nyrotary.org. 
 
Editors Historical Note: Cebu is the island where Magellan first landed when Europeans first reached the Pacific Ocean and the Philippines during his famous 1523 Voyage, and humankind ascertained that the world was indeed round, not flat.  Magellan was in only in Cebu for a few weeks before was  killed in a skirmish that he instigated with local villagers by a poison arrow.
 
 
Image below shows just some of the damage in Cebu