#ReliefPH: UPLB organizations initiate relief efforts

[FIRST UPDATE: 11:07pm, 11/19/13] Various organizations and student councils in the University of the Philippines Los Baños are actively collecting donations for the victims of typhoon Yolanda, which has struck the central Philippines this month.

University Student Council/Gawad Kalinga-LB

The University Student Council’s (USC) Oplan Sagip and UP Gawad Kalinga-Los Baños‘ (UPGK-LB) Oplan Walang Iwanan tied up their relief efforts.

In a post in their Facebook page, USC said that they were already able to send one batch of relief goods to Leyte. Other relief goods collected by the USC have also been turned over to a fleet of vessels which are set to travel to eastern Visayas on November 20 and 22, as per Memorandum No. PAEP 13-39, issued by UP System President Alfredo Pascual.

Their drop-off point is at the College of Development Communication building while their central headquarters is at the Baker Hall.

Graduate School Student Council

The Graduate School Student Council (GSSC) revived their Oplan Bayanihan, which was launched after the onslaught of habagat last August. Those donating cash donations may deposit at Planters Bank-UPLB branch, account name: Graduate School Student Council, account number 0176041137.

In-kind donations, meanwhile, are accepted at and may be shipped to the GSSC headquarters at the International House compound. Donors are advised to send a scanned copy of deposit slip/shipping slip, name of institution, number of packages/amount donated, and contact details to graduateschoolsc@gmail.com.

Serve the People Corps

The Southern Tagalog Serve the People Corps, a group of various progressive organizations in the region, also revived their relief efforts to help typhoon victims in Mindoro and Palawan. Their drop-off points are at the Making Waves booth at the College of Development Communication building and at the College of Human Ecology.

Aside from collecting cash and in-kind donations, STPC has criticized the Aquino administration’s disaster response.

Andrianne Mark Ng, the corps’ spokesperson and convenor, said in a statement: “While we are witnessing Aquino’s mechanisms applied to Eastern Visayas – from risk reduction to relief distribution – collapse to dust, there seems to be no plan whatsoever to help victims badly affected in the Southern Tagalog region. In other words, Aquino’s disaster management is nothing but a complete disaster.”

UP ASUS, Sigma Theta Delta, Espaleklek, MOVE UP

The UP Alliance of Students Unified for Sociology (UP ASUS), Sigma Theta Delta, and UPLB Espaleklek launched their joint Bayanihan relief operation. Donations may be dropped off at the parking lot of the Physical Sciences Building until November 20.

The Movement of Students for Progressive Leadership in UP (MOVE UP) also partnered with Sigma Theta Delta. They are accepting donations at Boston Cafe until November 22. [P]

This online news bulletin will be updated when new information comes in.

For inquiries regarding these relief operations, you may contact the following:

UPLB University Student Council: 0905-415-56-16

UPGK-LB/Oplan Walang Iwanan: 0926-341-91-40; 0915-449-05-89

Graduate School SC: 0917-550-69-17; 0920-514-36-52

Southern Tagalog Serve the People Corps: 0999-871-07-71; 0906-349-95-16; 0905-311-57-19; 0906-461-0594

UP ASUS/STD/Espaleklek: 0927-551-61-55; 0926-986-90-29; 0916-226-64-36