Crises and natural calamities are an occasion to reach out and help those in critical need.
On the last weekend of September, the Philippine capital of Metro Manila suffered the severe lashing of killer typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy). One of the heaviest downpours ever recorded hit the metropolis, measuring an estimated one month’s worth of rainfall poured overnight. Hundreds of lives were lost, homes were shattered and millions were displaced.
As news broke of the devastation brought on by Ketsana (Ondoy) which received extensive and live coverage over UBI World TV’s Filipino TV channels, the members of the UBI family wasted no time in mobilising its resources to help the victims.
UBI linked up with a group of Sydney professionals who set up Operation: Manila Relief and immediately launched its own company-wide drive to gather relief goods, clothes, shoes and packaged food from the Filipino and the wider Australian communities.
UBI’s internal drive called for donations of relief goods and other in-kind assistance for the victims from its staff, their families and friends. The donations, consisting of assorted clothing, shoes, food and other relief items, were generously received, filling up one storage room. These were packed by UBI staff themselves and are now being shipped to the GMA Kapuso Foundation in Manila. Freight company LBC Australia generously provided the boxes.
Through Operation: Manila Relief including UBI’s own collection drive, a total of 330 boxes from combined drop off points in Sydney were gathered. The relief goods are now on the way to the typhoon victims in Metro Manila and in surrounding regions who are still reeling from the destruction brought on by the killer typhoon.
The drive was a meaningful activity that brought out the selfless and humanitarian spirit of UBI World TV staff and of everyone who got involved and volunteered in countless small ways.
