ABS-CBN Foundation Activities

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Genting HK Donated P17 million to ABS-CBN Foundation


Genting HK assists southern Philippines storm victims
December 23, 2011

To assist victims of the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Sendong in the southern Philippines, Genting Hong Kong has initiated a company-wide donation drive and to date has raised HK$3m (US$386,000).

Led by chairman and ceo Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, donations came from Genting HK, Star Cruises Asia and Norwegian Cruise Line. The companies, as well as their management, employees and crew, made donations to express their concern for the victims and their families.

Genting HK said the Philippines and her people are an integral part of the company. More than 13,000 Filipino staff work for Star Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.

‘Our deepest condolences go to the victims and their families,’ said Genting HK president David Chua. 'We hope our donations will very soon help the affected in restoring their lives and putting the past behind them. In this season of giving, the donation drive reminded us that we are very fortunate to be in a position to help. We shall all do whatever we can for those in need.'

Donations will be submitted to ABS-CBN Foundation, a nationwide charity in the Philippines that is orchestrating relief efforts.

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Total cash donation - P89.4 million




Genting gives biggest cash donation for Sendong victims
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 12/26/2011


MANILA, Philippines - Genting Hong Kong Ltd., a global entertainment and leisure company whose brands include Resorts World Manila, donated HK$3 million or P17 million for the victims of tropical storm "Sendong."

ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya program director Tina Monzon-Palma received the P17 million check from Malaysia's Genting Berhard chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and Resorts World Manila executive vice-president Stephen Reilley, in behalf of the families affected by Sendong.

Monzon-Palma said this was so far the biggest single cash donation given by a company for the Sendong victims through Sagip Kapamilya. This brought the total cash donations received by Sagip Kapamilya to P89.4 million.

Aside from Resorts World Manila, Genting Hong Kong is the company behind Star Cruises. The company raised the amount in just 3 days with the help of its employees, which include many Filipinos.

Tropical storm Sendong (International name: Washi) hit parts of Mindanao and caused flashfloods that killed 1,236, mostly in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities. Some 1,000 remain missing and more than 60,000 people have been displaced by the floods.

Genting Hong Kong is part of Malaysia's Genting Group. The Genting Group is one of Asia's biggest conglomerates, with interests in casinos, integrated resorts, plantations, power generation, oil and gas, e-commerce, information technology and biotechnology.

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Sagip Kapamilya cash donation - P89.4 million




Salamat kapamilya sa inyong malaking pagtitiwala.

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147,000 Sendong victims get Sagip Kapamilya help
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 12/27/2011


MANILA, Philippines - More than 147,000 people affected by tropical storm Sendong in southern Philippines have received aid relief from ABS-CBN's Sagip Kapamilya program as December 27.

The program has served 147,114 people or around 49,038 families.

Soup kitchens have served 9,843 individuals, and 20,096 families have been given water assistance.

Sagip Kapamilya continues to accept donations such as rice, canned gods, noodles, biscuits, coffee, sugar, clothes, blankets, mats and medicines.

Those who would want to help may send their in-kind donations to Sagip Kapamilya ABS-CBN Foundation Inc., Mother Ignacia cor. Eugenio Lopez St., Diliman, Quezon City.

The drop-off point for donations is at the Center Road, Mother Ignacia, Quezon City.

Donations are accepted from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Mondays to Sundays.

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Saudi-based Pinoys donate for Sendong victims
by Raffy A. Beltran, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau
Posted at 01/25/2012


AL KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia - More than a month after Tropical Storm Sendong (International Name: Washi) hit Northern Mindanao, overseas Filipinos in eastern Saudi Arabia continue to find ways of helping less fortunate kababayans affected by the calamity.

The storm left more than a thousand people dead and an estimated P2 billion worth of damages.

Filipinos in Al-Khobar thought of different ways to collect fund to donate to Sendong victims.

The Alpha Phi Omega Dhahran Alumni Association (APO-DAA), is one of the volunteer groups helping the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh for its “Embassy on Wheels” (EOW) project.

During the recent EOW visit here, APO-DAA put up some donation boxes.

The Order of the Knights of Rizal Eastern Province Community Chapter (OKOR-EPCC) did just the same. It organized an interschool sports competition between the three Filipino Schools in the eastern region namely, the International Philippine School in Al-Khobar (IPSA), Al Jazeera International School in Dammam (AJISD) and Al Andalus International School (AAIS).

During the last day of the sports fest, OKOR-EPCC passed around donation boxes to the participants and those who attended the event.

Sir Oscar G. Paraiso, KCR, OKOR-EPCC Chapter Commander said: “I feel, being a Filipino, it is our duty to help the victims of typhoon Sendong.”

All donations collected by the OKOR-EPCC were donated to ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya.

The International Shutters Organization (ISO), a group of photography enthusiasts in the eastern region, also gave donations to Sagip Kapamilya.

The group’s donation came from the voluntary contributions of its members. But their help doesn’t stop there. The ISO Black Team organized a Photoshoot for a Cause entitled “The Goddess of Trees” with nature as its theme. The photoshoot aimed to raise additional donations for Sendong victims.

“This is the simplest way we can think of, to use our hobby—photography--to help the victims of Sendong,” said Janjie Rey Niog, organizer of the ISO Black Team Photoshoot for a Cause.

Kate Tolentino, one of the models at the shoot, said it was great feeling to be able to help in her own little way.

Peggy Carolina Miller, a Venezualan model said, “It feels incredible that I can help with something a little bit to these people who lost everything and I know how it feels because I came from nothing so its really amazing”. Peggy also donated for the cause.

Proceeds for the Photo shoot for a Cause were again donated to ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya.

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ARTISTS BAND TOGETHER FOR SENDONG
By Don Tagala, ABS-CBN North America Bureau
Jan. 23, 2012


JERSEY CITY, NJ – New York-based singer-actress Rachel Anne Wolfe, in collaboration with more than a dozen artists came together for another Sendong fundraiser called “Banding2gether for Sendong Relief” in Jersey City, New Jersey last weekend.
Rachel Anne Wolfe said, “It’s very important for us to come together and help other Filipinos in need.”
From Pinoy rock bands, young Filipino-American singing sensations, talented and award-winning ballroom dancers to world class magicians like Apollo Riego…these Filipino artists raised more than $1000 to send much-needed money to help the victims of Typhoon Sendong that killed more than a thousand Filipinos.
“Banding2gether for Sendong Relief” was created by Jersey City entertainment entrepreneur Marisse Panlilio, who is giving 100% percent of the proceeds to Sendong victims through ABS-CBN Foundation’s Sagip Kapamilya.
In light of the overwhelming support from Filipinos worldwide, the Philippine Consulate in New York has also sent out guidelines for those conducting these fundraisers, particularly when it comes to transparency.
The Consulate has also warned Filipinos to be wary of groups or individuals that may be taking advantage of this outpouring of generosity in the wake of these calamities and disasters.
In Glendale, California, Filipino journalists held their own fundraiser to help media workers victimized by last month’s deadly typhoon.
The Filipino American Press Club of Los Angeles held a concert and art show last weekend to benefit the 35 media workers in Northern Mindandao who lost their homes during the tragedy.
Two other local media members died from the typhoon.
Over 20 musical acts lent their voices for the cause.
-With a report from Steve Angeles
You may contact Don Tagala at don_tagala@abs-cbn.com for more information.

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effort ng mga kapamilya natin sa Doha Qatar.


Shoot 4 a Cause (Sagip Kapamilya Fund Raising - Doha Qatar)

digitalphotographer

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'Kapamilya Shower' rolls out in Sendong-hit CDO
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 01/21/2012


MANILA, Philippines – Hundreds of evacuees living in a makeshift tent city in Cagayan de Oro benefitted from Sagip Kapamilya’s “Kapamilya Shower.”

With the help of United Architect of the Philippines, Sagip Kapamilya converted a container van into shower cubicles that can accommodate 12 individuals.

“Ito is about hygiene, it’s about health. I think this is something they can benefit from. We will bring it to Iligan and other nearby areas,” said Tina Monzon-Palma Sagip Kapamilya’s program director.

The cubicles were provided to the evacuees in Cagayan de Oro who lost their homes to massive flooding caused by tropical storm “Sendong” last December.

“Grabe ang pila, walang privacy. ‘Yung iba nagbabalyahan pa, nagkakagalit pa, kaya sabi ko pinakamaganda makaimbento kami ng isang malaking container van na may mga shower cubicles,” said ABS-CBN news anchor and broadcast journalist Ted Failon.

The Sagip Kapamilya program is also planning to build 15 classrooms in Cagayan de Oro. -- Report from ABS-CBN News

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Army gives free haircut, massage
Tuesday, January 10, 2012


Personnel of the Army’s 302 Brigade Civic Action Team gave free haircuts and massages to poor residents of Tanjay City during the medical mission and relief operation sponsored by the ABS-CBN “Sagip Kapamilya, ” Bantay Bata 163, and Silliman University at the SU Hall in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, a press release from the army said.

The team was composed of reservists personnel from 703rd Community Defense Center, military personnel from 79IB and 302 Brigade headed by Cpt. Anacito Naz, 302 Brigade Civil Military Operations Officer.

They gave their free services to 199 individuals for free haircuts, and 50 for free massages. Children and elderly from the families affected by tropical storm “Sendong” in Dumaguete City were among those served, the press release said.

Meanwhile, the medical mission and relief operation way spearheaded by the ABS-CBN Cebu “Sagip Kapamilya” and Bantay Bata 163 volunteers was participated in by the Provincial and City Health Office and SU volunteer doctors and nurses and the Civil Welfare Training Service students of the SU, the press release added.*

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Fil-Ams hold fund drive for Sendong victims
Dec 30, 2011

SAN JOSE, California - Parishioners of St. Victors Parish in San Jose, California pooled their donations of about $2,000 during the ‘Simbang Gabi’ for the victims of typhoon Sendong in Mindanao, among the first groups of Filipino-Americans to do so.
Other FilAms in San Francisco, New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Hawaii and Guam also conducted their fund drive for the typhoon victims in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City.
FilAm leader George Gange, commissioner of the San Jose International Airport Commission and a Philippines Today contributor, said among the early donors in San Jose were Eli Macasiray; Mike Peck, president of Outreach Asia, Inc.; Pedro dela Pena, Rene Pineda, Charlene Marie Caces Sumabat, Marissa and Ariel B. Santos.
Gange said others who contributed were the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Alumni Association Canada, Inc. led by Dani Nacua, the PLM alumni in New York led by Atty. Manny Quintal of New York, Marilou Macandog of Toronto, Canada; Ruby Ocampo Zerda, Erlinda Grimares and Simbang Gabi Parishioners of St. Victors Church.
Gange said a total of $1,342 was initially turned over to Sagip Kapamilya’s Executive Director Julio Robbie Fabian at the ABS-CBN Foundation International.
In Redwood City, California, ABS-CBN Foundation mobilized Sagip Kapamilya, a fundraiser to help typhoon victims. Those interested to help may do so by donating through this website (embed link to Foundation website) via PayPal. You may also also send a check directly to: ABS-CBN Foundation International, Sagip Kapamilya – Sendong, 150 Shoreline Drive
Redwood City, CA 94065 or call 650-508-6118.
In Long Beach, California, members of the Kagayanon International of Southern California (KISC) are answering the call to help their hometown. . In one day a group there has collected 15 balikbayan boxes worth of clothes, food, and water.
President Barack Obama, meanwhile, offered to send P34 million in humanitarian assistance and help in rescue efforts.
Obama expressed condolences and offered assistance to the Philippines, one of its closest allies.
“On behalf of the American people, I wish to express my deep condolences for the tremendous loss of life and devastation caused by recent flooding in the Philippines,” Obama said.
“The United States stands ready to assist the Philippine people and government should humanitarian assistance and recovery efforts be needed,” he added.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also offered assistance to the Filipino flood victims.
In Washington D.C., the Philippine Embassy there appealed to all Filipinos in the United States to be generous in giving financial assistance to the victims of the floods in Cagayan De Oro City, Iligan City and neighboring areas.
The Embassy expressed its gratitude to community organizations and private individuals in the Metropolitan Washington D.C. Area that have sent donations, made pledges, and continue to raise funds for the victims.
Donations in cash and kind worth millions of pesos have since been streaming in from government agencies, foreign government, and organizations, the religious, civic and business communities, and private individuals. While aid has steadily poured in, thousands are still reeling from the catastrophe

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A Partnership to Build A World of Hope
Friday, February 10th, 2012


REDWOOD CITY, California—ABS CBN Foundation International, now on its 10th year, announced their official partnership with Seafood City Supermarkets in their campaign, “A World of Hope para sa Bantay Bata” that will benefit the nonprofit’s flagship program. All Seafood City Supermarket locations are participating through collecting donations at the check-out counter and by donating proceeds from customers’ purchase of select Pamana products.
“This partnership with ABS CBN Foundation, specifically with Bantay Bata (Child Watch), is a testament of Seafood City’s unwavering support and commitment to uplift the quality of life of the less privileged Filipino children who are the hope and future of our homeland,” said Amy Simonet, Marketing Manager for Seafood City Supermarkets.

Grocery stores in California located in Chula Vista, National City, Mira Mesa, Cerritos, West Covina, Carson, Eagle Rock, Vermont, North Hills, Panorama City, Union City, San Jose, Milpitas, Concord, Vallejo, Sacramento, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and in Seattle, Washington are now participating in the fund raising effort. Customers can donate their contributions at drop boxes with the cashiers, add their gift to their receipts or buy select Pamana products such as fish sauce, palm vinegar, soy sauce, bihon, and canton noodles. A portion of these sales will go towards the program.

Bantay Bata’s mission is to create and provide a safe, nurturing and loving environment where Filipino children can develop and realize their full potential through the rescue and care of abused, abandoned and sick children. It also provides food and nutrition, medical assistance, counseling support, legal help, scholarships and temporary housing for the children of the worst abuse. Through seven regional centers across the Philippines, the 24-hour Bantay Bata 163 hotline receives at least 15,260 calls for help every year – or 42 rescue calls a day.

“As the needs of disadvantaged Filipino children continue to grow, our partnership with Seafood City Supermarkets reminds us that the global Filipino is ready to help,” said J. Robbie Fabian, President of the ABS CBN Foundation International. “We encourage everyone to support businesses that promote a community and network of philanthropy for less fortunate Filipinos.”

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7,400 quake victims get aid from Sagip Kapamilya
ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 02/10/2012

MANILA, Philippines – More than 7,400 victims of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Negros Oriental have received relief assistance from ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya program as of Friday afternoon.

The program has served a total of 7,425 individuals or 2,475 families.

Soup kitchens have served 1,100 individuals while 210 families have been given water assistance.

The Sagip Kapamilya program is being undertaken in partnership with ABS-CBN Regional Network Group.

According to ABS-CBN’s Bernadette Sembrano, relief efforts are troublesome due to collapsed bridges and damaged roads.

The relief packs, made up of a kilo of rice, canned goods and water, are brought to the quake-hit areas of Guihulngan City and La Libertad town via chopper.

Sembrano said most of the residents have set up tents on open spaces because they are afraid of returning to their homes.

The residents are appealing to the government to provide housing assistance after their homes sustained damages from the quake.

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1st Kapamilya Run Cagayan de Oro 2/5/10K (CDO)

ABS-CBN Cagayan de Oro presents the First Kapamilya Run CDO to be held on February 26, 2012. The event will provide additional funds for Sagip Kapamilya Sendong Rehab Projects.

Race Venue: Kiosko Kagawasan, Cagayan De Oro
Race Date: February 26, 2012
Distances and Registration Fees:

2K- P250 Includes Singlet
5K – P350 Includes Singlet and Timing Chip
10K – P450 Includes Singlet and Timing Chip

Registration Centers:
All Chams Convenience Stores
La Cabana Spa
ABS-CBN Cagayan de Oro Complex
Kylas Bistro
Brewberry Café

Contact Numbers:
Globe: 09053945705
Bayantel: 310-8201

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Power firm donates P1M worth of relief goods to NegOr quake victims
By Jennifer Catan-Tilos
Tuesday 14th of February 2012


DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 14 (PIA) -- Geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation (EDC) has donated P1 million worth of relief goods to victims of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that rocked the towns of Tayasan, Jimalalud and Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental last February 6.

“Employees from our southern and northern Negros sites lost no time in helping the earthquake victims," said Engr. Dwight Maxino, EDC vice president for its Southern and Northern Negros geothermal production fields. "A day after tragedy struck these areas, they already volunteered to pack and distribute bags which contained rice, canned goods, bottled water, blankets and flashlights so we could begin distributing as early as February 08.”

EDC has distributed another batch of relief goods on succeeding days after packing of the relief goods was completed.

The distribution was in coordination with ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya with its TV station in Bacolod City as the main headquarters of EDC’s relief operations.

According to Maxino, the company would have done it in their southern Negros office in Valencia but roads leading to the three towns were impassable due to typhoon Sendong so they opted to get help from their northern Negros office in Bago City.

Community partnerships have been a cornerstone program of the EDC under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program.

With health, education, livelihood and environment as its CSR modules, EDC aims to uplift the lives of the residents in its host communities in areas where it operates, this is said.

Notwithstanding, the company still reached out to the earthquake victims in the severely affected areas of the province through its relief operations. ( FCR/JCT/PIA NegOr)

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Tulong para sa Negros, hirap itawid dahil sa wasak na tulay, kalsada
02/09/2012 9:20 PM


Buhos ang tulong para sa mga na-isolate na bayan ng Negros Oriental kaninang umaga.

Pero dahil sa gumuhong tulay dahil sa lindol, hirap ang lahat na itawid ang tulong na ito.

Ang iba, binuhat na lamang ang mga sako ng bigas at mga galon ng tubig.

Pero dahil hagdan lamang ang pwedeng daanan, kailangan maghintay dahil maging ang mga nasawi sa lindol, dito idinadaan.

Ang iba, nakipagsapalarang tumawid sa ilog.

Pero sa lakas ng agos at taas ng tubig, mismong mga tao at mga motorsiklo, kinakarga na.

Nagpadala na rin ng trak-trak na donasyong pagkain, tubig at gamot ang Dumaguete City.

Pilit itong itinawid sa ilog, pero sumuko ang mga sasakyan pagsampa sa pampang dahil malambot ang lupa.

Ihahatid ang tulong sa La Libertad at Guihulngan City.

“As you can see, we cannot really cross. We are bringing relief goods for Dumaguete City. We want to hit up to Guihulngan but it seems we cannot pass because of the destroyed bridges,” sabi ni Dumaguete Mayor Manuel Sagabarria.

Maging ang Sagip Kapamilya, manu-manong binuhat ang mga sako ng donasyon at inangkas sa mga habal-habal para lamang madala sa bayan ng La Libertad.

Sa Poblacion, naroon na rin ang mga military na kumukuha ng tubig mula sa ilog at dini-distill para mabigyan ang mga residente, tulad ni Mylene na apat na oras nang nakapila.

“Naghintay kami na mabigyan kami at makainom kami ng tubig,” sabi ng residenteng si Mylene Maribao.

Pinuntahan ng Sagip Kapamilya ang liblib na Barangay Maragondong at namigay ng pagkain sa mga residenteng nawalan ng bahay at pansamantalang namamalagi ngayon sa mga tent sa bakanteng lote.

“Masaya ako na maraming tumulong sa amin kahit hindi nila kami kilala, tumutulong sila sa amin ng kusang loob nila,” sabi ng residenteng si Wemacar Gargoles.

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Filipinos in Lebanon Donate to Sendong Victims
Thursday, 16 February 2012


Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that members of the Filipino community in Lebanon have pooled their resources in order to send financial help to the victims of tropical storm Sendong (Washi) in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities.

The Lebanon Filipino Community in Antelias, a town five kilometers north of Beirut, under the leadership of Mr. Dante and Mrs. Beth Tagudin, donated a total of US$1,018, which was coursed through the GMA Kapuso Foundation.

The Samahan ng mga Filipino sa Lebanon (SAMAFIL) led by Ms. Anita Adigue was able to collect a total of US$545, which was donated through the ABS-CBN Foundation/Sagip Kapamilya.

In her letter to the leaders and members of the Filipino community organizations and groups in Lebanon, Ambassador Ruiz warmly thanked and commended them for showing their love for country and for generously coming to the aid of their stricken kababayans in northern Mindanao

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Quake victims appeal for help
(The Philippine Star) Updated February 13, 2012


When I heard about the earthquake in Central Visayas — a magnitude 6.9 — I worried if this was like the 1990 earthquake in Baguio.

News arrived in bits and pieces because even news teams had difficulty going to the area when three major bridges collapsed.

Initially, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed seven people dead. The following day, the death toll rose to 15, then 21. As of press time, there are 39 people confirmed dead and 67 others remain missing. Sixty houses were buried in the landslides in La Libertad, Negros Oriental, these are communities located at the foot of the mountain.

Among the first team to reach the area is ABS-CBN Regional Network Group in Cebu. I was on the phone with my friend and ABS-CBN correspondent Rico Lucena and he recounted that residents fled to the mountains for fear of a tsunami, making it more difficult to bring them relief. He quoted people as saying “it is better to go hungry than to die.”

Because of the load limit of our Sky Patrol helicopter, Rico’s team could only bring 40 relief packs with them, but there were more than a hundred families with no access to food and water.

Sagip Kapamilya has been in the area as early as Tuesday. I flew to Dumaguete last Thursday, fully aware of the limitations of delivering relief goods due to the damaged bridges. Our plan was to cross rivers using the habal-habal, a motorcycle. The rains, however, deterred us from going beyond Jimalalud.

And so we concentrated on areas that could be accessed from Tayasan, which brought us to the evacuees in Brgy. Matuog. Here, 38 coastal families lost their homes because of the quake, which included the family of Vicente and Maricris. They were at the ground level of their home, when all of a sudden they sank into the ground and were drowning in water.

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Damaged bridges hamper Negros quake relief work
ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 02/09/2012


MANILA, Philippines – Relief assistance is pouring in for residents of isolated towns in Negros Oriental, which were affected by Monday’s magnitude 6.9 earthquake.

Trucks of food, water, and medicines from Dumaguete City were sent to La Libertad and Guihulngan, two Negros Oriental towns which were badly-hit by the quake.

However, the relief operation is being hampered due to collapsed bridges and damaged roads.

“As you can see, we cannot really cross. We are bringing relief goods for Dumaguete City. We want to hit up to Guihulngan but it seems we cannot pass because of the destroyed bridges,” said Dumaguete Mayor Manuel Sagabarria.

In Poblacion, the military gets water from a river and distills it to distribute to residents who have to line up for hours.

“Naghintay kami na mabigyan kami at makainom kami ng tubig,” said one of the residents Mylene Maribao.

ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya also visited far-flung Barangay Maragondong and gave food to residents who lost their homes.

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RUN FOR PASIG RIVER

• Year 2010
  Guinness World Record, natanggap para sa 10.10.10 Run for Pasig River!
  
  
  
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk15WeFStfw
  

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RUN FOR PASIG RIVER

• Year 2011
  More than 80,000 runners make Pasig River Run the largest racing event in the country
  
  
  A total of 86,547 runners showed up and participated in the Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP)’s “11.20.2011 Run for the Pasig River” Sunday (Nov 20), making it the largest single racing event in the country this year.
  
  According to ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. (AFI)’s chief strategic officer Monchet Olives, the turnout in the advocacy run was five times bigger than the 16,000 participants at another run this year organized by a pharmaceutical company.
  
  He said over 120,000 people registered and paid the fees including slots that were sponsored. The figure was higher than last year’s “10.10.10 Run for the Pasig River” that broke the Guinness World record for the largest number of participants in a racing event, with 116,000 runners.
  
  He also stressed that the organizers “focused on the experience” this year as they arranged a festive setting for this year’s runners with bands from different universities, the military, and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). "We closed down both sides of the Roxas Boulevard. That’s never been done before,” he said.
  
  AFI managing director Gina Lopez, meanwhile, said that the contingents from schools, government agencies, the police and military, non-government organizations, business sector, and private institutions that composed the massive crowd only proved that they want a cleaner Pasig River for the future generation. “It shows who we are as a people. The numbers don’t matter, there’s no doubt about it. Students came here. The army and the police were here. The private sector was here in full force,” said Lopez.
  
  The charity 21K race organized by the network’s Cable Channels and Print Media Group was participated by KBPIP sponsors and partners, together with the country’s top businessmen and executives such as ABS-CBN Corporation chairman and CEO Eugenio Lopez III and Ayala Corporation president Fernando Zobel de Ayala and heartthrob Piolo Pascual.
  
  The participants raced around Metro Manila and ran past the Estero de Paco where last year’s rehabilitation of Pasig River was made.
  
  At the post-race program, Gina Lopez led the heads and representatives from government and private sectors in the river warrior dance as a sign of commitment to clean the river.
  
  Meanwhile, Olives revealed that this year’s run had a good online registration turnout with 14,000 paid registrants. He also disclosed that they are already planning to take on the historic EDSA in 2012. “We’re going to play heavy on kids next year. If you get them to join, you also draw their parents,” he added.
  
  The KBPIP’s strategy is to clean up the esteros that drain into the Pasig River. In 2010, the KBPIP organized the world-record breaking 10.10.10 run to raise consciousness for the rehabilitation of the river and its tributaries, particularly the rehabilitation of Estero de Paco, a 2.9-kilometer tributary of the Pasig River in Manila.
  
  Lopez said in order to successfully clean the entire river, they must first clean the water that goes into it, and change the way people look at the river through events such as the annual “Run for the Pasig River.”
  
  
  
  
  
  abs-cbn news