Youth Leyte fundraising concert a success

Youth Leyte fundraising concert a success

TORONTO–Filipino youth in Toronto held a successful fund-raising concert for the victims of the Leyte mudslide disaster. The well-attended show, titled: It Takes a Village, was held Sunday, March 5, 2006 at Reilly’s Bar and Grille on Yonge Street, Toronto.

The project was able to raise $914 in cash and a box load of canned goods and personal hygiene materials that the youth had collected. All monies and goods will be donated to the Citizens’ Disaster Response Centre (CDRC), a reputable 22-year old Philippine non-governmental organization recognized by international disaster management bodies for its effective community-based approach, that has provided disaster assistance to over 3 million Filipinos over two decades.

The CDRC model of disaster assistance has been widely featured in international disaster management conferences and publications, including those of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Asian Disaster Management Centre. Among the models important features is ensuring that the most vulnerable of disaster victims become the priority recipients of disaster relief and rehabilitation projects. It also ensures that it works with the victims and their families in identifying what their priority needs are, as it engages them both in project planning and implementation, both through education and practice. (see www.cdrc-phil.org)

The youth showcase featured performances by Minerva Records artists, Uniqual, Fenaxiz, From the Bamboo Poetry Collective, Natural Noyze and many others. It was sponsored by Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC/FCYA) Toronto; Kapisanan Philippine Centre, Minerva Records, Rice-Café.com, From the Bamboo Poetry Collective, and Filipino Students Association of Toronto (FSAT).