Lea Salonga, Charice other top Filipino singers to perform concert in US for Yolanda victims

Tony Award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga

MANILA — Lea Salonga, Charice and Apl De Ap will lead a star-studded concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington,DC on June 15 to raise funds for victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that devastated central Philippines last year.

The Washington-based Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC) in an e-mail to the Philippines News Agency on Saturday said the concert is an initiative of the Philippine Embassy headed by Ambassador Jose Cuisia.

Grace Valera, MHC co-director said other Filipino groups such as Philippine Humanitarian Coalition and the US Philippines Society are coordinating to ensure the success of the concert.

Other top-rated Filipino singers who will perform during the one-night concert is Lou Diamond Phillips.

In a statement, Valera said: “Every ticket counts as the funds raised will go to typhoon relief programs in the Philippines. This is our opportunity, as a united community in the Capital Region(Washington), to show our continued support.

“Please take a moment to remember that so many Filipinos lost their lives and millions were displaced as a result of Typhoon Haiyan. We all know there is a lot of work to do. But, in order to continue the progress that has already been made, we need to find it in our hearts to continue to give what we can. It is a sacrifice on our part, but it is worth it to help improve the livelihood of our brothers and sisters in need. Their current struggle is something that many of us can’t even imagine,” Valera added.

Typhoon Yolanda was the world’s strongest to hit landfall in over 100 years that devastated the islands of Samar and Leyte, particularly Tacloban City on November 8, 2013, killing over 7,000 people.

Other areas in central Visayas were also devastated.

Seven months in the aftermath of Super Tyhoon Yolanda, thousands of victims are still without homes.

The Philippine government with the help of the international community has launched a massive rehabilitation effort.