Pinoy-assisted Swiss telethon raises P431M for Yolanda victims in just six hours

Tags: typhoon yolanda
(Updated 2:57 p.m.) In just six hours, volunteers of a Switzerland-based humanitarian organization successfully raised more than P431 million for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda during a special telethon held Monday during the Swiss National Day of Solidarity with the Philippines.

In a statement, the Philippine Embassy in Switzerland said Swiss Solidarity gathered pledges of donations worth 9.025 million Swiss francs or P431.4 million during the night-time telethon at the Swiss TV and Radio station SRF in Berne and in several other locations across the country.

The figure brought the running total of donations funnelled through Swiss Solidarity to more than 16 million Swiss francs or P763,446,720.00. 

The government of Switzerland has earlier pledged 6 million Swiss francs to the Philippines along with 21 tons of food and medical supplies for the typhoon survivors, according to the Switzerland-based English language radio station WRS.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said international assistance for the relief and rehabilitation efforts in typhoon-affected areas has reached $248,032,000 or P10,665,376,000 as of Sunday.

Pinoy participation

Swiss Solidarity Managing Director Tony Burgener said 850 volunteers across Switzerland enlisted for the telethon. Of these, more than 100 were deployed at a given time to receive calls  from the five telethon centers across the country.

Filipinos in Switzerland helped out during the telethon by taking calls themselves or providing food for the volunteers, the statement said. The fundraiser lasted from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight.

Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein Leslie Baja said in interviews that he was grateful for the kindness the Swiss people are extending in helping typhoon victims in the Philippines.

The beginning of the telethon  was attended by Burgener, Baja, Swiss Confederation President Ueli Maurer, and Walter Rüegg, President of Swiss Public Broadcasting Organization.

Help from Singapore

International support for the victims of Yolanda has been overwhelming.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), for one, delivered Thursday last week the second tranche of relief supplies worth S$120,000 to Cebu via a second Republic of Singapore Air Force C-130 aircraft.

A statement from the Embassy of Singapore said the aircraft will stay in Manila to support the local military's relief operations by transporting relief supplies and personnel between Manila and areas in the Visayas.

The relief supplies included tents, groundsheets, medical supplies and blankets.

“These relief supplies are in addition to the S$200,000 contribution from the Singapore Government through the Singapore Red Cross to support the relief efforts in the Philippines,” the statement said. — Xianne Arcangel/KBK, GMA News

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