Ayala Foundation lends a helping hand to Ondoy victims
10/15/2009 | Ayala Foundation
Ayala Foundation and its employees were eager to assist the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. Beginning September 28, AFI was mobilizing its resources to ensure that affected communities would receive the relief they needed.
Promoting Ayala Foundation and Ayala Foundation USA as secure and reliable ways to donate to the ongoing relief efforts made it easy for Filipinos everywhere to do their part. Online donation mechanisms were set up on the Ayala Foundation and AF-USA websites to make it even more convenient to make contributions. Additionally, for US-based donors, AF-USA is waiving its 5% service fee on all donations for Typhoon Ondoy relief operations until the end of October.
Apart from fundraising, Ayala Foundation employees were actively involved in relief operations. Employees and members of the Ayala Young Leaders Alliance packed and distributed goods for distribution to flood affected areas in Bulacan, Rizal, Pampanga, and Quezon City. Ralph Morales, an AYLA member and AFI employee, was himself stranded by the floodwaters, but still managed to coordinate the relief efforts of the Ayala Young Leaders by mobile phone.
Romulo Valientes, an AFI employee with the Technology Business Incubator, and the manager of the Manila Dragons dragon boat team, mobilized team members to rescue people in flooded areas. They used their traditional vessels, as well as inflatable boats to conduct the rescue operations. Valientes said the team found it difficult to paddle in the floodwaters that were filled with garbage, dead animals, and diesel fuel. The Manila Dragons have competed internationally, in Hong Kong, and mainland China.
As the country struggles to get back on its feet after the floods, Ayala Foundation and AF-USA will continue to help the affected communities - whether through promoting donations, or working at the front line of relief operations.
Visit http://www.ayalafoundation.org for more information.
