Music group in Jeddah seek help for distressed Pinays

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia - A group of music enthusiasts in Jeddah is urging the Filipino community in Jeddah to continue helping distressed Filipina workers, specifically on how to start a new life once they return to the Philippines. "Sending them home is not the only assistance that we can give but to arm them with ideas and knowledge were they can use when they go back to the Philippines," said Ed Santos, chairperson of the Friends of Jeddah Music Club. The group made the appeal after giving out canned goods and other personal items to distressed workers who sought refuge at the Filipino Workers Resource Center maintained by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). Santos said he is happy that the Filipino community is actively helping the workers, but added that they must continue to exert more time and effort as more and more distressed workers go to OWWA to ask for assistance. "Our group will start to find a way to help the distressed Filipinas not only by donating goods, God willing," he said. Santos said their donation came from proceeds of the musical competitions that their group organized during the Eid Holidays. Ten bands composed of students from different schools for Filipinos joined and showed off their musical talents. The Crossline Band from the International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ) emerged as winner of the battle of the bands. Krayola of Gems International School was second and the Beast of Burden ofAl Hekma International School placed third Karla Maye Carreon from the Philippine Sunrise International School won the battle of the singers, while Kristine Bernadette Solis from Gems International School placed second. Among the sponsors of the event were Western Union, Samaco Toys, Pepsi, Sky Freight Forwarders,Gano Excel, Lowell Plameras, Sammy Adora, Rene Palad, Jordan Imutan, Manny dela Cruz, Gerry Relingo, Fermin Vidal, and the Philippine Sunrise International School. - with Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV