Migrant chaplains raise funds for typhoon victims

FILIPINO migrant chaplains stationed overseas quickly spearheaded a fund campaign among Filipino communities to help flood victims back home.

Migrant chaplains from Tel Aviv, Berlin, Spain and Kuwait were among the very first to respond to the appeal for assistance, according to Fr. Edwin Corros, Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Migrants and Itinerant People.

“As early as 11 a.m. [of] Sept. 26, I have written some of the chaplains and friends overseas describing the huge amount of [rain that flooded] Metro Manila… It was very spontaneous on the part of our migrant chaplains overseas to raise funds particularly in Tel Aviv, Berlin, Spain and Kuwait, because they were immediately informed of the disastrous effect of the recent typhoon,” Corros said.

Fr. Ric Fernando, chaplain of the Divine Mercy Chapel in Tel Aviv said he would launch an appeal so Filipinos in Tel Aviv could participate in the “re-building of lives of [those] hard hit by this natural calamity.”

“I am thinking first of all of extending needed help to those in the Divine Mercy Chapel whose families have suffered total loss,” he stated in his email to Corros.

For his part Fr. Adonis Narceles, an SVD based in Berlin, Germany said that he was able to collect little amount for the victims after reading Corros’ letter to the people during the Mass.

Likewise, Fr. Ben Barrameda, chaplain of Holy Family Cathedral in Kuwait and Fr. Casey Ureta based in Sydney, Australia are also spearheading a campaign drive to collect donations for the flood victims.

“We are doing fund raising here for the victims of Ondoy. I appealed to our parishioners in Narraweena to help,” Ureta said.

He said many groups in Sydney have expressed their willingness to contribute to help the victims. Aside from second collection during masses, they are also planning to hold dinners with proceeds intended for the victims.

Fr. Fabio Baggio, director of Scalabrini Migration Center in Manila, who is currently in Madrid, also sent word that Filipino migrants in Spain are collecting donations and will send aid either in cash or in kind.