When Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the Philippines on Nov. 8, killing at least 4,500 people and displacing at least four million, the reverberations were felt thousands of miles away here in Humboldt.
This city has a Filipino population of around 100 people and there are some here that have been personally affected by the storm. Though they are understandably hesitant to speak to the Journal about their situation, there is no doubt that friends and family in the Philippines desperately need help. With lines of communications down in many areas, it is almost impossible to know what's going on back at home for Filippinos in Humboldt.
Under the auspices of the Filipino-Canadian Association of Humboldt, that help is coming from many different sources. St. Augustine Church is fundraising; a barbecue at the Humboldt Co-Op on Nov. 21 will see proceeds donated to typhoon relief; donation boxes are available at the Royal Bank, Humboldt Newcomer Centre and Extra Foods; a box at the Humboldt Mall will be set up in the next day or so for donations like toiletries and blankets. It's a titanic effort that has left organizers amazed.
"We've been overwhelmed by the response," said Lesley Bautista, the Filipino Canadian Association's secretary. "At first we thought it might be hard to put the help together, but people are stepping up without us even asking. People want to know how to help."
Money raised in Humboldt will be passed along to the Philippine Red Cross and Development of Peace, a Canadian Catholic organization. As always, making sure the money gets to the people who need it most is a central concern.
"We hope what little we can do will help people in some small way," Bautista said. "Every Filipino in Humboldt is overwhelmed and touched."
