Texas-based Fil-Am group raises P100T for Ilonggo victims of Typhoon Frank
Donations given Mrs. Norma Benzon Chair and President
of Offering of Filipinos For Emergency Relief (OFFER).
Moved by photos shared by Texas-based Ilonggo photojurnalist Rufino "Pinoy" Gonzales, the Filipino community in Houston, Texas raised nearly P100,000 in assistance for Ilonggo victims of Typhoon Frank.
In a report, The News Today (TNT) gathered that an emergency meeting was called by Norma Benzon, President of Offering of Filipinos For Emergency Relief (OFFER). A consensus was then reached to give $2,000 of OFFER's funds taken from the proceeds of the "Pearl of the Orient Gala." OFFER's aim is to help Filipinos around the globe in need of relief and assistance brought by natural calamities or tragedies.
The $200 was donated by Dr Sen Martin the multi-awarded volunteer of OFFER.
OFFER has helped and assisted victims of the Guinsaugon landslides in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte, Liloan, Southern Leyte. The group was also behind the financial assistance for Filipino victims of the Lebanon unrest.
OFFER has also helped countless victims of different typhoons in the Philippines in the past years.
"But most of all OFFER was the first organization that extended help to Filipino-American victims of Hurricane Katrina last 2005," Gonzales in an email sent to TNT shared.
Benzon is also past chair and president of FACOST,the umbrella organization of all Filipino-American organizations in Texas.
While other officers are Tess Tuazon Dearwater, Chair and President of FACOST and Secretary of OFFER, and Ben Ongoco, Past Chair and President of FACOST and OFFER volunteer.
Representing Iloilo, Gonzales received the Check for $2200 from Benzon,Dearwater and Ongoco. The check will be deposited at Philippine National Bank for Banco De Oro Account Number – 4168002903 under the name of BOMBO RADYO PHILIPPINES FOUNDATION, INC.