Korea donates $5M to PH; K-pop fans help ‘Yolanda’ victims

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

The government of South Korea will be donating $5 million (about P219 million) worth of humanitarian assistance to the victims and families affected by Typhoon “Yolanda” in the Philippines.

K-pop fan clubs, on the other hand, are helping in the relief efforts through donation drives and volunteering.

Fans of (from the top) Girls’ Generation, CNBLUE, 2PM, DBSK and others are helping in providing assistance to the victims of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in the Philippines (Photos from Facebook pages of Girls’ Generation, CNBLUE and 2PM, and www.newsen.com)

“The Korean Government, through its Embassy in the Philippines, will be providing humanitarian aid to the affected provinces,” according to the Korean Embassy in the country.

The embassy is coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in providing humanitarian aid to help in the relief and rehabilitation operations.

“This contribution, coming from the heart of every Korean, is a sincere expression of friendship and camaraderie to the Philippines,” the embassy said.

In addition, the Korean government will also dispatch a disaster relief team onboard C-130 aircrafts.

“The Korean Embassy expresses its heartfelt condolences to the families and victims of the typhoon, and hopes that their resiliency and indomitable spirit will help them cope with and overcome this human tragedy,” it said.

The Philippine K-pop Committee and DBSK fan club Cassiopeia Philippines, in cooperation with the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC), have organized a donation drive.

Donations like rice, mineral water, blankets, canned goods, noodles, biscuits and medicine can be dropped off at the KCC building at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig until Friday.

Soshified.com, the international community of Girls’ Generation fans, has launched the “WishesForPH: Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund” to help affected families in the Philippines.

Those who wish to help can go to Soshified.com’s page http://wish.soshified.com/. Soshified will be donating the funds for the Philippines through UNICEF.

Fans of boy band CNBLUE have launched the “B.L.U.E for a Cause,” which seeks to gather donations for the typhoon victims. This is a joint project of CNBJonghyun, CNBMinhyuk, CNBShin and CNBYonghwa accounts. They are accepting cash, clothes and blankets.

2PM Philippines has its “PH Hottests Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan Fundraising Project” where donations will be given to the Philippine Red Cross under boy band 2PM’s name.
Other K-pop fans are volunteering in the packing of relief goods.

Meanwhile, the Ateneo Initiative for Korean Studies is calling on people to donate to its “YOLANDA, YOU AND HALLYU: Pagbulig, Pagtulong, 도움.” Fans can donate old or extra K-pop goodies that can be auctioned.

You may send all K-pop donations to the Modern Languages Department at Ateneo de Manila University. For inquiries, you may contact aiks.ksip@gmail.com or romarchuca@gmail.com, 09272310070 or 09239457227.

Link to my original article on Manila Bulletin online http://www.mb.com.ph/korea-donates-5m-to-ph-k-pop-fans-help-yolanda-victims/

To contact the author, send email to sangchusan(at)gmail.com

Don't miss any updates. Subscribe to this blog, add me to your Google+ circle or click the Google Friend Connect on the sidebar