On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan devastated large swaths of the Philippines, killing more than 6,100 people and destroying the industries that are vital to villages. The destruction hit very close to home for many people with family in the Philippines, including Jay Poblador, general manager at The Elm in New York. Seeking a way to aid in recovery efforts, Jay founded NYers for the Philippines. His co-founder is Arnold Marcella, who is a sous chef at The Elm.
On January 27, 2014, NYers for the Philippines invites you to join New York City’s most notable chefs, mixologists, and entertainers at A Night Out for the Philippines: Building A Village Together at Bagatelle New York. All proceeds from this one-night-only fundraiser will provide housing and create a sustainable rehabilitation program for a community in the Philippines hard-hit by Typhoon Haiyan.
Jay reveals, “When the typhoon hit the Philippines, Arnie Marcella and I were struck by the intensity of the storm and the amount of damage it had brought on so many regions in the Philippines. As we tried to contact relatives to make sure that everyone was safe and accounted for, we realized that we both had ties to Iloilo City.” After Jay and Arnie learned that most of the aid was being focused on Tacloban City, the epicenter of the typhoon’s damage, they were spurred to form the group NYers for the Philippines to raise funds for Iloilo’s recovery.
NYers for the Philippines has partnered with Gawad Kalinga, whose mission in the Philippines is to restore human dignity, first to impoverished communities in the Philippines, and then, because of all the natural calamities the country has faced, assist communities devastated by these acts. At a base level, providing a safe permanent environment for individuals and families is the first order of business. Jay and his team hope to raise enough money to rebuild an entire village of 25 to 30 homes. He notes, “In appreciation of all the chefs who are participating in A Night Out for the Philippines: Building A Village Together, we intend to put plaques on the homes commemorating their generosity. One of the things we get to do in this partnership is to name the village. For example, there is a Lufthansa Village, a Mandarin Oriental Village, and so on.” He adds with a smile, “Ours may very well be named Chefs’ Village.” Jay and members of NYers for the Philippines plan to visit the village when the houses are complete and meet the people living there.
Their efforts, however, do not end with housing. Jay points out, “Many of the communities, particularly in the south, are very much invested in farming and fishing, but many lands were left untenable and many fishing areas destroyed. GKonomics, Gawad Kalinga’s partner in social enterprise development, will assist with developing alternative enterprise to make theses village sustainable.”
Tickets for the January 27th charity event are $300 each for general admission and $400 each for VIP/early admission and are available for purchase through the organizer’s website: http://www.nyers-for-the-philippines.com/ or directly through the Eventbrite ticket website https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-night-out-for-the-philippines-building-a-village-together-tickets-9740368705?ref=ebtn.
Jay and his team have put together A Night Out for the Philippines: Building A Village Together because they want to be part of a sustainable solution to the destruction. “We wanted to be there after all the first responders were gone. The road to redevelopment is long and difficult,” he states. “We’re supporting one village; there are as many as 2,000 others that need assistance as well.”
For more information, to purchase tickets, or to make a donation, please visit www.nyers-for-the-philippines.com.
