Comments & Updates

 
 

Typhoon Haiyan - November 2013

Typhoon Haiyan, Philippines - November 2013

How to Donate

Rotary District 9685 Use where a tax deductible receipt is NOT required
Westpac, Lindfield
BSB 032 086 A/c 333 071
Please email advice of the amount deposited and name to DistrictTreasurer@rotarydistrict9685.org.au
Rotary District 9680 Benevolent Fund
Use where a tax deductible receipt IS required
Send cheques and all details to
PO Box 296 Avoca Beach 2251
RAWCS On-line
Credit Card Donations
 
Use where a tax deductible receipt IS required
Visit www.rawcs.com.au  click Donate / Enter Project Number 45  / Year Registered 2013-14 Click Find this Project The Project name will display and on far right click the Donate Now button and follow the prompts to make a credit card payment. You will receive an on-line receipt.
RAWCS On-line
EFT donations
Use where a tax deductible receipt IS required
Account Name:   RAWCS Eastern Region Overseas Aid Fund
Account BSB:  082146
Account Number: 046528943
Reference: 45 2013-14
Send an email to schokma@attglobal.net when you have made a deposit, showing Name / Address / Amount of donation so we can track deposit and issue receipt.
 

February Update

 

Peter Pearce reports January 2014

  • So far in total the ShelterBox Response Teams working in the Philippines, since the Typhoon struck, have distributed 202 boxes, 1,500 standard tents and 16 midi tents, helping 1,718 families in total. 225 toolkits have also been distributed in Leyte, enabling families to begin rebuilding their lives. 
  • The shipment of 576 tents, 1,000 midi tents, 200 boxes, 400 mosquito nets and 400 Thirstaid water filters has arrived from our headquarters in the UK to Manila in Philippines and is currently being loaded by the Philippines Navy to be transported to communities in need. All of the tents are heading to Cebu and the remaining aid is being sent to Tacloban.  
  • Response Teams changeover tonight and tomorrow and there are seven teams working across seven areas – base in Cebu, Logistics in Manila, Comms/assessment across several areas, distributions in Leyte, Bantayan and Tacloban.
  • There is a good affiliate representation in the current Response Teams including members from ShelterBox Australia, Norway, Germany, Canada, UK, and USA.
Appeal totals
 
We had another great week last week, with over $150,000 dollars being donated!
 
The Philippines Appeal total for ShelterBox Australia stands at over $860,000
 
The Syria Refugee Appeal total for ShelterBox Australia stands at over $137,000
 
The UN has just launched its biggest ever appeal, to help victims of the war in Syria, they are appealing for $6.5 billion (that is not a typo). The scale of this disaster is almost unimaginable and our fundraising focus is now firmly back on the Syria Refugee Appeal. Hopefully our new appeal page will be active on the website, ready to fully re-launch the appeal in the New Year.
 
Thanks for your hard work.

The Rotary Club of Bacolod South writes

I am enclosing our "enhanced" poster requesting aid for the Haiyan typhoon victims that you can circulate to the Rotary Clubs in your District.  As indicated on the poster, areas in our District were also affected (not just Tacloban and Samar).  While Bacolod City was spared by Haiyan, the northern coastal cities/towns of Cadiz, Sagay and Manapla have the highest number of totally-damaged houses.  Bacolod South intends to adopt a village in these three areas and help rehabilitate the damaged-house victims.  Thus, we are soliciting for construction materials (such as lumber, nails, galvanized iron sheets, etc) and temporary shelter (especially tarpaulins). We are targeting 100-300 houses for rehabilitation, not much really, considering that over 20,000 houses (mostly of light materials) were damaged.
 
For your information, our District has decided to adopt an island village in the northern coastal fishing town of Estancia, Iloilo, where most of the fishermen lost their fishing boats.  We are raising funds to purchase replacement fishing boats for them.
 
Also, I have been tasked by my Dist. Gov. Mark Ortiz to coordinate with ShelterBox for feasibility of helping Estancia, where almost 10,000 houses were also damaged.
 
With regards to relief goods, we continue to receive donations and distribute the goods to victims in Cadiz City, Sagay City and Manapla, all located in my home province of Negros Occidental.
 
Thus, I would recommend that your Club assist us in the rehabilitation of the damaged houses.


ShelterBox update 26 November - Peter Pearce

So far ShelterBox has distributed 137 ShelterBoxes and 404 ShelterBox tents in the Philippines since the Typhoon (these numbers do not include aid previously distributed following the earthquake).
 
The following aid is en route and will arrive between now and mid-January 2014:
 
2,664 ShelterBox Tents
1,012 ShelterBoxes
1,500 Midi tents
16 ShelterBox SchoolBoxes
400 Mosquito nets
400 Thirst Aid Stations.
 
In total, ShelterBox aims to help 6,432 families affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
 
The ShelterBox Australia Appeal fund stands at over $370,000. 
 

 
It is hard to believe that it is just on two weeks since Typhoon Haiyan devastated towns from Samar to Leyte (where Tacloban and Ormoc are) to northern Cebu and Roxas city.  With over 10 million people displaced, 600,000 homeless and over 4,000 dead it is hard to imagine the enormity of this event.
 
DG Graeme Davies spoke to a number of us early last week and sought counsel as to how quickly we should respond. It was agreed that we would look at longer term solutions where funds could be directed via other Rotary Clubs in the Philippines and through aid agencies such as Shelter Box and Disaster Aid Australia. A small group with links to the Philippines and International projects met with DG Graeme last Friday to “brainstorm” any ideas and develop a working plan.
 
We understand that in District 9685 there are a few clubs with close Rotary connections in the Philippines such as Roseville Chase and Penrith and Northlakes Toukley. Since the disaster all of these clubs have had some dialogue with the  Rotary Clubs in the Philippines. For example in the case of Northlakes Toukley the sister club Makati Dasmarinas has suggested helping the Benedictine Nuns at St Pauls Hospital in Tacloban City and also Shelter Box.
 
We understand that some clubs will want to proceed with plans you may already have in place, which may involve sending goods, money or supporting ShelterBox or Disaster Aid Australia directly. We ask that you please proceed with these plans as your support is much needed.
 
Our committee decided that there would be a number of smaller clubs or clubs that prefer to be part of a consolidated effort who may be interested in working as a group. Our plan is to focus on a few activities and look at longer term solutions and we would love you to be part of the combined group.

How Can we help?

  1. Seek advice from Rotary Clubs in the Philippines with which we have relationship (e.g like Northlakes Toukley above), and quickly develop a plan. It must be managed and parties in the Philippines held accountable for whatever assistance we provide.
  2. ShelterBox - is on the ground. Following floods and earthquakes in the region over the last few months, they have been able to respond very quickly to the Typhoon. An update this morning from Mike Greenslade, Director / Communications Officer ShelterBox Australia - The Operations team has forecast that ShelterBox has a commitment to help up to 6,000 families affected by Typhoon Haiyan. This is a lot of ShelterBoxes.

How Do we secure Donations?  

  1. Radio/Press in your area – stories have already been sent to Express Advocate and SEAFM on the Central Coast. We urge you do the same in your area.
  2. We are hoping to get a Radio interview with Ray Hadley from 2GB.
  3. Hold a local event – Preident Maria Chan at Chatswood Sunrise is planning a dinner, Northlakes Toukley i holding a Bollywood Cabaret in conjunction with Hali Bowling club on 7 December – these event will raise $1000’s we hope.
  4. Publish regular updates being provided by Peter Pearce from ShelterBox.
  5. Target Corporate businesses in your area.

Managing the Cash Donations:

We are working with RAWCS to establish a special Philippines Relief Fund, from which we can issue Tax Receipts, this is a new experience and will take a few days to set up. Please note that funds processed via RAWCS will attract a management fee. But it is still the best and most efficient way for Rotary Clubs to issue Tax Receipts. Very few clubs in the District are registered to issue Tax Receipts in their own right.
 
This is a great opportunity for the Rotary Clubs in District 9685 to work together, no politics just a common cause to help the people of the Philippines who can surely use our help right now. Any question please do not hesitate to contact Maurie Schokman (02) 4390 4298 or email schokma@attglobal.net
 

District 9685 Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Sub-Committee

Michael MacQuillan – International Service Chair D9685
Maurie Schokman – International Chair, Northlakes Toukley
Tess Hall – President, Penrith
Guy Arad – International Chair, Roseville Chase
PDG Marilyn Mercer – Director, ShelterBox Autralia
 

Rotary, ShelterBox organize aid for typhoon victims 14 November

Rotary partner ShelterBox has committed aid for 4,000 families in the Philippines in the form of emergency shelter and other relief assistance. The charity organization welcomes help from Rotary members to identify need and provide support. You can contact them at rotaryrequest@shelterbox.org.

When organizing disaster relief efforts – at home or internationally – we encourage you to work with experienced emergency relief organizations to meet the immediate needs of those affected by the disaster.

More at rotary.org


DG Graeme in eNews 14 November

The details of our district's response to the devastation in what is essentially RI District 3860, is being developed by Maurie Schokman (Northlakes Toukley), District International Director, Michael MacQuillan (Chatswood), and President Teresita Hall (Penrith). 
 
In the first instance clubs can donate to ShelterBox Australia (a project partner of RI), Disaster-Aid Australia, or directly to District 3860.

Dr Grace Maano (E-Club of Greater Sydney) is volunteering on a medical team with French doctors wherever they are needed.
 

Rotary International - 11 November

RI's regional Office advises that the most effective way to provide relief is to send money direct to the area affected.   The funds can then be used where the District believes it is most effective. Food, water, medicines etc. are in great need but can be sourced from other parts of the Philippines.
 
District Governor Edgar Chiongbiancan has provided bank account details (see table above) through which Rotarians can send contributions to the areas in Tacloban and Northern Cebu that were hardest hit by the typhoon last Friday.