Press Release
October 2, 2009

Gordon cites telcos for helping Red Cross get donations for 'Ondoy' victims

Senator Richard J. Gordon (Ind.) today cited telecommunication companies (telcos) for volunteering free services to facilitate donations to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) for victims of tropical storm "Ondoy."

Gordon, also PNRC chairman, said the telcos' voluntary services make it easier for people from the provinces to make donations for relief operations for Filipinos who are now housed in evacuation centers due to the devastation wrought by Ondoy in Metro Manila and in the nearby provinces.

"Nagdulot ng malawakang pinsala sa buhay at ari-arian ang bagyong Ondoy. Ngunit sa kabila ng unos na ito, lumabas ang ating kusang-loob, malasakit at kapwa-tao," he said.

"Marami nang nagbigay ng donasyong pera, pagkain, damit at iba pang mga gamit. Marami pa ang nais magbigay ng tulong kaya malaking tulong ang ginawang ito ng Globe at Smart. Ngayon pati ang mga tao sa lalawigan na nais tumulong sa mga nasalanta dito sa Kamaynilaan ay makakapagbigay ng kanilang donasyon," he added.

Floodwaters brought by Ondoy's rains submerged most parts of Metro Manila and other provinces in Luzon over the weekend.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) has reported that the government has placed Metro Manila and 25 provinces in Luzon under a state of calamity as heavy rains caused the worst flooding seen in the capital and in the other areas in the last four decades.

Aside from Metro Manila, placed under a state of calamity were: Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon, Isabela, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, and Bataan.

Globe and Smart encouraged more donations to the Red Cross to help the more than 300,000 victims of storm "Ondoy." The two made it easy for donors to make their contributions through their cellular phones.

Subscribers who want to donate can text RED5/25/50/100/300 to 2899 for Globe, or 4483 for Smart. For example, text RED 50 to 2899 or 4483. Transaction charges for the donations have been waived.

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