How do I help?
How do we know if we’re sending our money to the right people?
Aside from the official letter from Kawil Tours, please also check the contacts of the organizers and organizations on the Orgs Helping page, whom you can clarify concerns with. We will also be regularly updating you about help and current situation via Kawil Tours' Facebook page. We will also publicly update all donor names here.
Why can’t we just donate online i.e. PayPal?
We thought about using PayPal on this site due to its convenience. However we found out that PayPal takes up 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (or donation), and we don’t want a huge portion of your donations to go to waste.
The best option we have now is donations via remittance as it has minimal transaction fees.
Why should we not donate to bigger organizations like Red Cross?
Big organizations are focusing on the hardest hit areas such as Leyte but there are also other smaller communities such as Culion which are in dire need and aren’t given as much attention as of yet.
Culion's distance from the main island is also another reason why help isn’t as fast, leaving the residents of the island no choice but to take initiative.
Smaller organizations who are helping smaller communities also do not have as much resources as other bigger and well-known organizations.
If you also wish to help other organizations, you can check this site for the list of active organizations.
And why haven’t I heard about this in the media?
Due to debris and lack of clear roads and transportation, the media is taking a longer time to reach many affected places especially remote areas.
Right now, it is not uncommon for people in the Philippines to get updates via the Internet (if there is access), and likewise for Filipinos abroad who are trying to get in touch with their loved ones at home.
Electricity is also down in most parts of the affected areas. Currently the only electricity in Culion is provided by a generator from a local hospital.
Contact between Culion and the main island is now difficult. Residents are trying to gain Internet access by using a basin that they use to literally “catch” any signal.
Can’t the government just provide helicopters or rescue boats?
The Philippine government is trying their best to help as much regions as they can. However, majority of the initiatives are focused on the hardest-hit areas. Many times, local communities also have to depend on non-government organizations or social enterprises especially during disasters such as this when resources are lacking, and accessibility and communication are almost impossible.
- Funds will be needed to restore at least 10 boats of local fisherman including Kawil Tours' big boat in the next TWO weeks. In the short term, we're hoping that we can use these boats to transport relief goods to the area. In the long term, it would serve as a source of livelihood for the fishermen.
- The priority now, however, is the Kawil Tour boat, the biggest boat in the island, and with least damages.
- The Kawil Tour boat restoration will cost Php 30,000 (Php 22,000 for the materials and Php 8,000 for labor fees). Please see the Official Hep Letter page and scroll down to the second page for the breakdown of costs.
- If we receive more than Php 30,000, the excess will go to repairing the fishermen's boats.
- As hours pass by, we are being told that there is a need for more food and water. Your donations may also be used for these. For quick updates about the situation and help needed, please go to Kawil Tours' FB page.
- Funds will be collected via remittance. Account details:
SIMBAHANG LINGKOD NG BAYAN
(Account Name/Payee)
Bank of the Philippines Islands (Loyola-Katipunan Branch)
BPI Peso Checking Account Number: 3081-1111-61
BPI Dollar Savings Account Number: 3084-0420-12
SWIFT CODE: BOPIPHMM
ROUTING NO: 021-0000-21
REMARKS/NOTES: Project Culion (boat) - Please email deposit slip to [email protected] for record tracking. Copy these email addresses so we can get quicker updates about your transactions, and give you updates as well: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected].
- Deposit slips will be given to Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB), a registered NGO, who will then will release the funds for boats.
- If you're abroad and would like to know which local banks remit to BPI, please check this page.
- If you know friends who are personally helping this initiative, you can send your funds to their accounts and he/she will remit your funds.
- Individuals who are helping remit in the meantime are:
Siegrid Saldana, based in Singapore
Jacqueline Lee, based in Hong Kong - Western Union requires you to address an individual. If you are using their remit services, please address it to the co-founder of
Kawil Tours with the following details:
Jun Jesus T. Tibi Jr.
España Gallery, España Manila, zip code 1008
Birthday July 21, 1987
Jun will receive the fund via Western Union, deposit it to SLB's account, and SLB will release it for Culion.
How do we know if we’re sending our money to the right people?
Aside from the official letter from Kawil Tours, please also check the contacts of the organizers and organizations on the Orgs Helping page, whom you can clarify concerns with. We will also be regularly updating you about help and current situation via Kawil Tours' Facebook page. We will also publicly update all donor names here.
Why can’t we just donate online i.e. PayPal?
We thought about using PayPal on this site due to its convenience. However we found out that PayPal takes up 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (or donation), and we don’t want a huge portion of your donations to go to waste.
The best option we have now is donations via remittance as it has minimal transaction fees.
Why should we not donate to bigger organizations like Red Cross?
Big organizations are focusing on the hardest hit areas such as Leyte but there are also other smaller communities such as Culion which are in dire need and aren’t given as much attention as of yet.
Culion's distance from the main island is also another reason why help isn’t as fast, leaving the residents of the island no choice but to take initiative.
Smaller organizations who are helping smaller communities also do not have as much resources as other bigger and well-known organizations.
If you also wish to help other organizations, you can check this site for the list of active organizations.
And why haven’t I heard about this in the media?
Due to debris and lack of clear roads and transportation, the media is taking a longer time to reach many affected places especially remote areas.
Right now, it is not uncommon for people in the Philippines to get updates via the Internet (if there is access), and likewise for Filipinos abroad who are trying to get in touch with their loved ones at home.
Electricity is also down in most parts of the affected areas. Currently the only electricity in Culion is provided by a generator from a local hospital.
Contact between Culion and the main island is now difficult. Residents are trying to gain Internet access by using a basin that they use to literally “catch” any signal.
Can’t the government just provide helicopters or rescue boats?
The Philippine government is trying their best to help as much regions as they can. However, majority of the initiatives are focused on the hardest-hit areas. Many times, local communities also have to depend on non-government organizations or social enterprises especially during disasters such as this when resources are lacking, and accessibility and communication are almost impossible.