Turkish aid agency supports typhoon-hit Philippines

By Lale Bildirici

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey’s IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation has sent food aid to 2,000 people in typhoon-hit regions of the Philippines, it said Wednesday.

Mucahit Demir, an official of the foundation in Southeast Asia, said in a statement that the agency responded immediately to the typhoon and sent aid to the people who had been forced to leave their houses and wait for help at squares in Mindanao and Zamboanga.

Last December, at least 250 people were killed as tropical storm Vinta unleashed strong winds and heavy rain across southern Philippines' Mindanao islands.

Demir said: “In the first stage, we distributed rice, pasta, canned fish, cakes and hot beverage products.”

He added that the agency wanted to continue its aid operations in the region until the end of the crisis with the help of its benefactors.

Demir said the agency had launched an SMS campaign for people to donate money to the Philippines.

By texting the word “SEL” to 3072, Turkish mobile phone users can donate five Turkish liras ($0.2).