Members of the Filipino-Ameri­can community in the United States have stepped up relief as­sistance for families displaced by Tropical Storm Sendong in Cagay­an de Oro and Iligan cities. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Handang Tumulong Foundation Inc. (HTFI), one the community organizations in the US Northeast which has been actively involved in raising awareness about the calamity and in mobilizing relief efforts, donated a check for US$6,000. “The Filipino-American com­munity once again manifested their concern for the victims Tropical Storm Sendong by mobi­lizing people and resources to aid victims in affected areas, particu­larly the hardest hit cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro,” the DFA said in a statement.

The HTFI, which aims to pro­vide immediate monetary assis­tance to communities affected by natural calamities, was founded in 2009 in the wake of the devasta­tion brought about by Typhoon Ondoy.

To date, it has sent aid to vic­tims of typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural disasters in the Philippines and other countries like Japan The HTFI has vowed to contin­ue sending monetary aid as more donations come in from con­cerned members of the Filipino-American community, according to the DFA.

Other Filipino-American groups have likewise mobilized their mem­bers and friends in the internation­al community for various chari­table activities, including a dance benefit in New Jersey organized by concerned Filipino groups; and a marathon concert entitled “Band­ing2gether for Sendong” featur­ing Filipino-American performing artists in January 2012, among others.(T. Santos, Inq.net)

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