Sabinsa has donated $25,000 US to the ABS CBN Foundation International disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of the November 7th Super Typhoon Yolanda (known in the Philippines as Typhoon Haiyan).
This was the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in recorded history. While the full extent of damage, and the death toll, have yet to be assessed, there is no doubt that its impact on the Filipino people has been catastrophic. For example, the city of Tacloban on the island of Leyte has been almost wiped off the face of the earth. Crops throughout the region were destroyed, and future crops are in jeopardy, so famine is almost guaranteed.
"Having spent time in the Philippines when considering it as a location for expansion of our cultivation program, these people became dear to us," said Sabinsa founder Dr. Muhammed Majeed. "The devastation is incomprehensible, and the impact will linger for many years."
ABS CBN Foundation International has programs in place to assist in rescue operations and in providing aid to families that are now in evacuation centers where they are temporarily sheltered.
ABOUT ABS CBN FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL:
ABS CBN Foundation International is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged Filipino families in the Philippines and around the world. Its flagship program, Bantay Bata (Child Watch), is a child abuse rescue operation that responds to an average of 15,300 calls for assistance a year. The program assists more than 21,000 children and families in relocation communities and feeds at least 4,400 severely malnourished children a year. Its education program serves 4.2 million elementary school children and their teachers. Other programs include Sagip Kapamilya (disaster rescue, relief and rehabilitation), ETV in schools (school reform in elementary schools) and Sagip Kalikasan (environmental programs). In the United States, the organization partners with Filipino-American organizations and associations in addressing community issues–youth truancy, housing, issues affecting the elderly, health, and emergency needs. For more program information, visit www.abscbnfoundation.org.a
