Canadian Government Matching Private Donations for Haiyan Relief

Anyone who makes a donation of up to $100,000 for Typhoon Haiyan relief for the Philippines to any registered Canadian charity will have the amount of their donation matched by the Canadian government. Government officials are encouraging its citizens to donate money rather than foodstuffs or other materials which are problematic for transporting to the devastated island country whose people are homeless and hungry since Typhoon Haiyan ripped across the Pacific last week. Citizens were also cautioned by Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development to limit their generosity to those organizations that have a legitimate track record in truly helping out during times of disaster.

Charitable organizations eligible to receive matching donations from the Canadian government are those that have previously registered on Canada Revenue Agency’s charities website. This online source is also the place where citizens can check to see whether or not an organization is verified as being a legitimate charitable organization rather than a scam operation hoping to play on people’s sympathies simply in order to collect funds which then go into private pockets rather than to the truly needy people of the Philippines. Canadian Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders are among the legitimate charities.

Officials now fear that Typhoon Haiyan may have killed as many as 10,000 people in one Philippine province alone. It is being called one of the most powerful storms ever recorded.

On Wednesday, the UN’s World Food Program distributed rice and other items to nearly 50,000 people in the Tacloban area. Nearly 10 tons of high energy biscuits were also delivered to the city on Wednesday, with another 25 tons on the way.

Philippine Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla said it may take six weeks before the first typhoon-hit towns get their electric power back. He said that in Tacloban, order needed to be restored “because if there’s no peace and order, it’s hard to reinstall the power posts.”

On The Web:
Typhoon Haiyan: How you can help
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/typhoon-haiyan-how-you-can-help-1.2423429