In Dubai, the Filipino community will accept in-kind donations starting Friday 15th November 2013, the same day as the scheduled Brunch-For-A-Cause at the Philippine Consulate-General in Al Qusais from 11am to 4pm. The benefit brunch will be Dh50 per person and all proceeds will be donated to the typhoon victims.

People are requested to bring any goods they’d like to donate for an aid shipment scheduled to leave Dubai on Saturday.

Map to the Philippine Consulate in Al Qusais:

“We have been inundated with calls even from other nationalities that they would like to help our compatriots. We will be accepting relief goods such as canned goods, non-perishables, blankets, towels, and basic medicines,” Matilyn Bagunu, president of the Filipino community in Dubai, told Gulf News.

Father Tomasito Veneracion, parish priest of St Mary’s Catholic Church, said a special mass will be held for the typhoon victims this Friday at 12:30 pm. The church will also collect cash donations from the congregation to donate directly to the Philippine Red Cross.

People who want to give in-kind donations may start dropping them at the Karama and Abu Dhabi offices of LBC, the largest Philippine courier company which has branches in the UAE. The company has offered to send all goods to the Philippines free of charge.

The problem though is that the shipping of the boxes may take 35 to 40 days to arrive – I hope some airline companies take heed and send these boxes there fast!