More Pinoys helping Sendong victims in PHL

More than a month after tropical storm “Sendong (international name: Washi) swept over parts of Mindanao and Visayas, help continues to pour in for its victims, this time from Filipinos based in various parts of the world.   In Israel and Brunei, Filipinos played friendly sports to raise donations for kababayans who were gravely affected by “Sendong,” which killed around 1,200 people and damaged more than P1.7 billion worth of property.   According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Federation of Filipino Communities in Israel (FFCI) held a volleyball tournament dubbed “Play and Help for a Cause” last January 21 at Beit Dani Gyn, Hatikva in Tel Aviv.    The participants were able to pool in around 5,000 shekels (P57,100), which will be donated for the reconstruction of the victims’ houses in Cagayan de Oro, the DFA said.   Meanwhile, Filipinos in Brunei gathered for an aerobics marathon last weekend as their way to pool in donations.    The event, held at Brunei’s National Hockey Field, was organized by the Philippine Embassy there and a popular health club in the area named Fitness Zone.   Among those who were present in the event were Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Havaseli Ashtiani and Lao Ambassador Souvanna Phouyavong.   After this endeavor, the Filipino community there will hold a charity golf gave and dinner-concert on February 25 and 26 at the Centerpoint Ballroom in Gadong.   For their part, Filipinos in South Africa and Angola held separate fund-raising activities that bore around $5,700.   Filipino communities in Pretoria and Johannesburg in South Africa held theirs last January 29 at the Embassy grounds, reported Philippine Ambassador to South Africa Constancio Vingno Jr.   The event—dubbed “Operation Tabang (Help) Sendong”—included a charity raffle, bingo games, and an auction. It raised a stotal of 26,734 Rand ($3,341.75), to which the Embassy staff pitched in another $500.    Meanwhile, Filipinos in Angola were able to raise $875 for the victims. Etienne Brechet, Philippine Honorary Consul General in Luanda, added $1,000 to the collection. -RJMD, GMA News