Hong Kong Red Cross rallies support for typhoon relief | Inquirer Global Nation
Despite the strained relations between Hong Kong and the Philippines, the Hong Kong public has donated HK$5.9 million (P33 million) for the victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”
The Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) said it had launched an emergency appeal to Hong Kong residents on Tuesday for the victims of the typhoon that ravaged central Philippines.
“Up to 4:30 p.m. (Thursday), HKRC has received over HK$5.9 million from the Hong Kong public. We thank the public for their generous donations,” the HKRC said in a statement.
It added that the figure included a US$500,000 donation from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) to support “the Philippine Red Cross in providing emergency relief, rehabilitation and recovery assistance to the victims.”
The HKRC said it initially allocated HK$500,000 for emergency relief in the Philippines.
Street fundraising
“HKRC will also stage street fundraising activities in various spots across the territory this Sunday,” the agency said.
“Many enthusiastic volunteers, members and staff members have enrolled for the activities in the hope of raising more public concern and donations for the relief operation,” it added.
The donations come even after diplomatic relations between Hong Kong and Manila deteriorated due to President Aquino’s refusal to apologize for the 2010 hostage tragedy that left eight Hong Kong people dead.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chunying on Nov. 5 said the former Crown colony would impose sanctions on the Philippines if no substantial progress was made in a month’s time in the negotiations to compensate the victims. At the height of international humanitarian efforts in the Visayas, the Hong Kong leader said the deadline will not be extended.
Nevertheless, Filipino community leaders in Hong Kong said many locals want to help victims of supertyphoon Yolanda despite the fallout from the hostage crisis.
Willing to help
“We’ve received a lot of phone calls from (Hong Kong) NGOs and the academe and they’re willing to help,” said Eman Villanueva, spokesperson for the Operation Migrante Sagip Kababayan, a relief effort here in Hong Kong to help the typhoon victims.
“The students of the Chinese International School dressed up in red, white and blue…the colors of the Philippines…(on Nov. 13),” said marketing executive Catherine Feliciano-Chon. The students also donated $20 each to the Philippine Red Cross,” she added.
The HKRC has also set up a Tracing and Psychological Support Service for Filipinos in Hong Kong who have lost contact with their relatives back in the Philippines due to the typhoon.
“HKRC’s Emergency Tracing Service has received 96 enquiries, with 23 cases still in process for seeking 68 missing family members in the Philippines due to this disaster,” the HKRC said.
On the other hand, its Psychological Support Hotline Service, manned by trained psychological support service volunteers and professional clinical psychologists, has handled 34 cases.
“Most of the domestic helpers were worried about the safety of their family members, and we offered them immediate emotional support,” the HKRC said.
However, there are still locals who are angry about the 2010 hostage crisis and who made “abusive and derogatory” remarks online about Filipinos in relation to supertyphoon Yolanda. On Wednesday, Hong Kong’s Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) reminded all that inciting hatred toward another person or members of a class of persons on the ground of their race was not just inappropriate but also illegal.
Hong Kong adds $5.16-M in funds for PH aid
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/world/11/15/13/hong-kong-adds-516-m-funds-ph-aid
HONG KONG - Hong Kong said Friday it will contribute $5.16 million to a fund that can be used to help the typhoon-stricken Philippines, after drawing fire for sticking to a deadline on sanctions against Manila over a 2010 hostage crisis.
The city's legislative body voted for the injection of HK$40 million ($5.16 million) into an existing disaster relief fund, boosting its total amount to HK$49 million, which aid groups can then apply for, the government said in a statement late Friday.
"We really want to provide the needed aid to victims affected very significantly by this major typhoon," the territory's chief secretary Carrie Lam said earlier this week.
Hong Kong is insisting that the Philippines offer a formal apology over the 2010 hijacking of a tour bus in Manila by a former police officer which left eight Hong Kongers dead and seven injured.
Its refusal to drop the threat despite the devastating impact of typhoon Haiyan, which has killed thousands and devastated entire coastal communities, has drawn strong criticism from some Hong Kongers and the city's Filipino migrant workers.
"The situation is still the same," a government spokeswoman told AFP on Friday.
Aid for the Philippines has been pouring in from around the world following the disaster, and Hong Kong's stance drew anger from citizens who expressed themselves on bulletin boards and social media.
"This is totally disgusting behaviour... Hong Kong is losing its way," says one person posting on the South China Morning post's website.
"Shame, shame, shame, Hong Kong," said another user.
Eman Villanueva, vice chairman of the Filipino Migrant Workers' Union, told AFP the government's position on the sanctions deadline was "insensitive" and that the deadline should be pushed back.
"Any sanctions imposed on the Philippines will directly affect the people and not the government," he said.
Hong Kong's leader Leung Chun-ying said last week that he will take "necessary actions to apply sanctions" if he does not see concrete steps taken to resolve the issue within a month.
The city's unpopular government -- under pressure from families of the victims -- has mooted a cancellation of its visa-free arrangement for visitors from the Philippines as well as possible trade sanctions.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino has refused to apologise on behalf of the country for the Manila hostage situation, insisting the deaths were primarily caused by the actions of the hostage taker.
The Hong Kong Red Cross said Friday it has also raised HK$7.7 million dollars from the public for the Philippines relief effort.
The United Nations has appealed for $301 million in aid, with the US and Britain among leading donors and China on Thursday stepping up its initially modest response to dispatch rescue materials worth $1.6 million.