Australian firm donates A$500,000 to Red Cross for Yolanda relief

Residents of Barangay Rawis in Virac, Catanduanes, watch in awe at the angry sea caused by winds brought by Supertyphoon Yolanda on Friday. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Global resources firm BHP Billiton has donated A$500,000 to the Red Cross in response to the devastation wrought by “supertyphoon Yolanda” (international name Haiyan) in the Visayas region last week.

“The typhoon and its aftermath have had a severe impact on communities in the Philippines and given our history and relationship with the people of the Philippines, we hope this donation will assist the Red Cross in helping the local people in their recovery from this terrible event,” said Mike Henry, the BHP Billiton president.

The donation came from the Australian firm’s BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities, a charity it established as part of its community investment program.

Apart from the A$500,000 donation, BHP Billiton will also donate A$2 for every A$1 donated by an employee through its Matched Giving program.

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