$4,300 raised in Barrie by Migrante

$4,300 raised in Barrie by Migrante

The PMB KIDS (from left): Eula Mae Flores, Rana Cruz, Samantha Chayapan Hardy, Khalil Barton, Nelia Lewis and Kween Ella Bernardo who performed at the event.

Fundraiser for Typhoon Ompong survivors

While we are saddened by the human and material losses left in the wake of this disaster, we celebrate the resilience and the resoluteness of a people collectively engaged in recovery and rehabilitation. … we appeal to you all for solidarity and support. (From PMB’s introductory remarks delivered by Ms. Wilma Delo)

And so began on Oct 27 at the Burton Ave. United Church in Barrie, a night of songs, a slide presentation, speeches of goodwill and solidarity with the participation of children, youth and adults from various sectors of the Filipino Canadian and other communities. These were all in a common effort to render support for rehabilitation and rebuilding activities in the Cordillera and other regions of the Philippines heavily-affected by Typhoon Ompong (internationally-known as Mangkhut) in September this year.

The fundraiser was initiated by the Pilipinong Migrante sa Barrie (PMB), two of whose leading lights are Pam Pisco Bernardo and Wilma Delo. They brought together two other organizations, the Bayanihan organization of Simcoe County and the Filipino Canadian Association to plan and undertake the benefit show. In her introductory remarks, Ms Delo said, “It is the first time that our different organizations, groups and individuals come together, and lock arms in a common effort to render aid to our sisters and brothers in our motherland.”

Pilipinong Migrante sa Barrie
(Photos provided)

The benefit show – Mini Concert for A Cause – raised $4,300 that night even as donations continue to flow in. The proceeds will go mainly to the Cordillera region, to the survivors of the landslide in Itogon, Benguet and surrounding areas.

The mini-concert featured songs from children and young people like the Norella Sisters, the children of PMB members and other young performers. Singing “Jesus loves me” and “Light a Candle” were PMB Kids Eula Mae Flores, Rana Cruz, Samantha Chayapan Hardy, Khalil Barton, Nelia Lewis and Kween Ella Bernardo.

The slide presentation focused on the devastation in northern Philippines, particularly in the Cordilleras where the operations of corporate mining giants have caused environmental destruction and degradation. In a solidarity message for the occasion, Migrante Canada, mother organization of PMB, said that the recent disaster “has made it clearly evident that mining operations in the Cordillera region have completely damaged the environment … in the name of profits.” It commended PMB’s call to the Canadian government to create an office for a Human Rights Ombudsperson to monitor operations of extractive industries operating in the Philippines and around the world.”

Ms Elaine Gareau, Chairperson of Kairos Simcoe County, expressed KAIROS Ecumenical Justice Initiatives’ continuing support, while MP John Brassard and MPP Andrea Khanjin admired the efforts of the community organizations to come together for the occasion. Mayor Jeff Lehman, on the other hand, expressed admiration for the Filipino Canadian community’s close ties to the Philippine homeland, making it easy for them to raise support and aid for their kababayans in times of need.

All the support … will contribute in no small measure to the relief and rehabilitation of the disaster-affected areas and to the rebuilding of people’s lives in the Cordillera region (and other distressed areas) in the Philippines. Such support means a lot to our compatriots in our motherland. (PMB in closing)

(PRESS RELEASE)