TYKFI’s HOPE Caravan, in partnership with the Philippine National Bank, Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple, Buddhist Light International Association (Philippines), Local Government of San Luis, Pampanga, and the  Open Heart Foundation Worldwide, Inc. provided relief for affected families from the devastation brought about by Habagat.  

Over an eight-day period, Habagat brought intense rains and thunder storms, even if it was not a typhoon but a strong movement of the Southwest Monsoon, which in the vernacular is called  Habagat, caused by the pull of typhoon  Gener and further enhanced by typhoon Haikui. Suffering the brunt of the weather disturbance were the National Capital Region, provinces of the CALABARZON Region, namely, Quezon, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, and the provinces of Region 3, namely, Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan. The nonstop rains caused the Marikina River to overflow and destroyed the same places that were ruined by another typhoon in 2009. It also caused a landslide in the Commonwealth Area as well as the collapse of the Northbound side of the Marcos Highway. In its wake, Habagat left 95 people dead, 8,428 homes destroyed and 6,706 damaged. Losses throughout the country amounted to at least P604.63 million (US$14.31 million). 

Like a thief in the night, CDO’s devastation from one monstrous calamity was unprecedented. Sendong has brought the “City of Golden Friendships” to a standstill. It may have caused destruction to the city but it has brought a lot of people together. Untold stories of heroism and the bayanihan spirit are prevalent. 

Most notable among the many who responded is our very own Tan Yan Kee Foundation. Right at the onset, it was very quick to set in motion its resources by conducting aggressive relief operations primarily in heavily stricken areas. 

TDI El Salvador was at the helm of the operation spearheaded by plant manager Mr. Tony S. Ong. While some individuals are on vacation and staying as far away from CDO and Iligan as possible, TDI El Salvador and allied volunteers for Tan Yan Kee Foundation are hard at work and extended assistance to over 10, 000 families. This was furthermore supported by a group volunteers from UERM who conducted a three-day (February 10-12) medical mission. 

The noble and note-worthy humanitarian cause of UERM doctors was spearheaded by Dr. Henry A. Yañez, a proud son of Iligan himself backed up by our very own HR Manager Ms. Josefina de Luna and VP for Corporate Planning Ms. Irma Tan who continued to facilitate distribution of relief goods. 

It has been proven time and again that the resiliency of the Filipino people is one that is hardly equaled. 

The Tanduay family is committed to help every countryman in need reflective of the indomitable bayanihan spirit which is deeply rooted in our own culture as a people. With reasonable optimism and the knowledge gained from such a horrific episode, the Filipino people will ultimately prevail. Roberto V. Ampalayo, Jr.

Christmas week 2011 saw the Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. and its partners bringing a measure of the season’s spirit to victims of typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro through its Hope Caravan relief operation.

Sendong survivors cut across socio-economic classes, age brackets, and gender demonstrating the severity of the natural calamity that affects all. Cagayan de Oro City is the capital of the province of Misamis Oriental.  Dubbed locally as the “City of Golden Friendship” (Dakbayan sa Bulawanong Panaghigala-ay in Cebuano, as the city’s seal proudly displays) for the camaraderie and hospitality that are inherent and traditional traits of its people.

In the wake of three devastating typhoons Juaning, Pedring, and Quiel, Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc.’s Hope Caravan rolled out once more to ease the effects of calamity aftermath.   In August, it went to Albay and in October motored to several towns of Bulacan.

Typhoon Ondoy saw the LT Group in coordinated action from the time it became clear that destruction hit hard heavily populated areas in the metropolis.  Much, however, remains to be done even after the storm.  

In continuing efforts to ease suffering for the typhoon’s victims, the Tan Yan Kee Foundation and the members of the LT Group have been reaching out to fill in immediate needs.  

Some are disabled. Some are octogenarians.  Even worse, perhaps, some are innocent of wrongdoing or were forced to own up to crimes in exchange for money to alleviate extreme poverty.  Many are living in regret and asking for forgiveness.  These are the people that society has labeled with numbers --  faceless, forgotten.  In many ways, prisoners die before their time to a world they knew but which is now only a faint memory.

Hope is what Tan Yan Kee Foundation’s Hope Caravan, with volunteers from the Fortune Tobacco Corporation, brought to the New Bilibid Prison’s Medium and Minimum Detention Center inmates.  With the message that they are not forgotten, volunteers provided counseling sessions as well as entertainment through songs and dance.  

The sun was just breaking when the Airbus A320 of Philippine Airlines carrying Dr. Lucio Tan and his group made its final approach to the new Iloilo airport. From the air, what passengers saw was not a pretty sight: large swathes of residential and agricultural land were submerged in mud and deep floodwaters. Just days before, Panay Island – including the whole Province of Iloilo – was battered by typhoon ‘Frank’. 

Dr. Tan, chairman of the Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. and his friends from the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCI) were in Iloilo on a mission: to help typhoon victims dislocated by raging flood waters.