S$3.8m raised by Singapore Red Cross for Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) announced today (Nov 27) that it has raised more than S$3.8 million for Typhoon Haiyan relief operations.

The donations came from the public as well as S$1 million from Oxley Holdings, which had matched public donations dollar for dollar, up to a million dollars.

From the money raised, the SRC will be providing S$250,000 worth of relief and medical missions in the Philippines, including volunteer mobilisation and medical consumables, said SRC Secretary General Benjamin William at the press conference this morning.

The SRC has also pledged 100,000 Swiss francs (S$142,000) each to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and another S$200,000 to support Philippine Red Cross, he said.

The rest of the funds raised through the Haiyan Relief Appeal will be allocated to other recovery operations, said the SRC.

Oxley Holdings chief executive and executive chairman Ching Chiat Kwong, who gave the donation to the SRC today at the Singapore Red Cross House, said he was saddened and distraught after hearing of the disaster, which killed thousands of people in the Philippines.