Norway Govt, Filcommunity in Scandinavia Rush Aid to Victims of Ondoy and Pepeng

Philippine Ambassador to Norway, Denmark and Iceland, Elizabeth P. Buensuceso informed the Department of Foreign Affairs that the government of Norway has announced that it was sending 20 million Norwegian crowns (around US$3.4 Million) assistance to the victims of Typhoon Ondoy which ravaged the country on 26 September 2009. The amount will be shared with Indonesia which also suffered from a devastating earthquake in the southern coast of Java. The money will be administered through the United Nations system and various NGO’s now providing help to the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos who are trying to rebuild lives wrecked by the super typhoon.

Meanwhile, various Filipino organizations, the Roman Catholic and Christian churches and private organizations in Norway, Denmark and Iceland, rallied to the cry for help from their poor countrymen who were ravaged by the storm and the floods. Ambassador Buensuceso exhorted her countrymen in these Scandinavian countries to extend whatever assistance they could give, using their own channels of conveyance as well as those in the embassy’s website, to deliver financial and other kinds of assistance.

In Norway, total amount collected so far reached around US$57,556. More fund-raising activities are planned in the immediate future. The Filipino Working Group has decided that all proceeds of the Pasko ng Bayan on 11 December 2009 will be donated to the victims. The Bayanihan sa Bayan ni Juan Concert, a joint project of the Filipino community in Norway will be held on 1 November 2009, Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo, Norway. The Oslo Musikkakademi will conduct a concert, on 25 October, to be held at the Røyken Kirke at Hurum Kommune.

The Filipino community in Denmark has also responded in monetary form and in kind. A total of US$33,460.00 had been collected and sent through ABS-CBN, GMA 7, 700 Club Asia and other channels.

Although few in number, the Filipino community in Iceland also sent $1,451.18 to CFC-FFL.

Ambassador Buensuceso expressed her deep gratitude to the quick response and outpouring of sympathy for the victims extended by the Norwegian government and the members of the Filipino community who have extended a helping hand in these dire moments. She said that these acts of kindness will be remembered as a memorial by God.

Following is a table indicating a summary of relief efforts by various Filipino organizations, groups and other friends of the Embassy in Scandinavia (This is not an exhaustive list. Those who are undertaking similar activities to help the victims of the typhoons and flooding are kindly requested to contact the embassy at ambassador@philembassy.no so that their contributions could as well be acknowledged):

Summary of Cash Donations monitored for the typhoon victims:

I. Norway:

II. Denmark:

III. Iceland: