A group of Filipino-Australians who hail from Samar are raising funds for villages in Eastern Samar that received little help after super-typhoon Haiyan.

The Australian Samareno Association of NSW Inc. is holding AYUDA SAMAR, a charity show and dinner to be held at Pabico Club 55 in Sydney on Saturday, 26th of April. 

Guests include Brian Lorenz, Clarissa Bock and Lalaine Lozano (see poster), with Eugene Benitez as Master of Ceremonies.

Sol Lapalma, one of the event’s organisers and president of the association, said that Eastern Samar has largely been overlooked in the distribution of both international and government aid. 

“Eleven towns were destroyed by the typhoon, and each town will have at least 20 barrios or so – many of them haven’t received aid at all to this day,” she said.

Lapalma is hopeful that they will raise at least $7,000 which will allow them to divert funds to rebuild the main church in Guiuan as well as buy fishing boats for fishermen in the region.

“Guiuan was a main source of both fresh and dried fish in my hometown of Borongan,” said Lapalma. “Now many of them can no longer provide that because their fishing boats were destroyed.” 

A motorboat that can travel fast and accommodate six passengers already cost $1,200 so Lapalma is calling on the community to dig deep so they can help many Samarnons. 

“The fundraisings of Fil-Oz organisations in Sydney have focused only in Tacloban and other areas in Leyte,” she said. 

The show is called AYUDA SAMAR. “Ayuda” means help in her native Samar dialect.

Tickets cost $35 or people can donate using the following details:

Direct Deposit:

Australian Samareno Association of NSW Inc.

St. George Bank

Acct. No.:  438888690    
BSB No.: 112-879         

Ref.: AYU/0414/PB/your name here 

Donors can find out more information by contacting Lapalma on 0422 451 642 or on email [email protected].

The association is fundraising under the permit of the Philippine Community Council of NSW (PCC-NSW).

Photos: Inquirer (See http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/137505/guiuan-church-a-national-cultural-treasure-in-samar-heavily-damaged-by-yolanda)

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