After Typhoon Haiyan left more than 600,000 Philippine people displaced and thousands dead last weekend, the Organization of Young Filipino Americans at the University launched a campaign to raise awareness and aid for the victims.
“Our primary goal is to raise awareness,” said OYFA Vice President Edric San Miguel, a fourth year engineering student. “We’re also making sure people know that they can donate [and] we want to provide them with ways to donate … [We also want] to comfort the Philippine community.”
This week, OYFA is hosting several activities on Grounds for both members and non-members to spread the word about the storm and to create opportunities for donations.
“[On Wednesday] we’re encouraging people to wear their OYFA shirt or something red to commemorate [those injured or killed in the disaster],” San Miguel said.
Other activities include a performance by Filipino-American comedian Rex Navarrete on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Newcomb Theater, as well as a candlelight vigil at the Rotunda steps on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
San Miguel said the fundraising campaign would be a two-phase effort. The initial short-term phase will benefit the Philippine Red Cross to provide victims and rescuers with food and supplies.
“Phase two will be more of a long-term goal because … when people see disasters happen, their concern usually lasts for a week or so, as long as it’s on the news,” he said. “What they don’t know is that it takes years to rebuild [after] something this drastic.”
He said the campaign doesn’t have a set monetary goal.
“Our mindset right now is just raise as much as we can,” he said. “We also want to promote other nonprofit groups that have the same goal. It’s not how much we can raise, it’s how much awareness we can create.”
Tuesday afternoon, Sullivan praised OYFA’s efforts in an email sent to the entire student body.
“I am grateful to OYFA and to all of our students, faculty, and staff who are taking action to help mitigate the effects of this disaster,” Sullivan said in the email. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of the Philippines.”
Donations can be made on OYFA’s website, oyfaatuva.com, as well as after Navarrete’s performance on Thursday.
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