Sir, – For more than a decade we have heard nothing but praise for the Filipino immigrants who first came to our shores around 2000. Initially, it was mostly nursing professionals who came and brought a new dimension of care to our hospitals. These were followed later by family members and others who began to make a positive contribution to the communities where they made their new homes. Their benign presence is reflected nowadays in schools, the service industry, our churches and, particularly, in church choirs. They have been a breath of fresh air to our country.
Now, with the almost indescribable disaster that has cruelly struck their home country and relations, we Irish, who know something of emigration and suffering ourselves, can rise to this awful occasion and show our gratitude and acknowledgment of the Filipinos’ wonderful contribution to our society by contributing money to the Red Cross or any of the established Irish aid agencies. I know that members of local Filipino groups, whether they lost loved ones or not, are fundraising at their work places and beyond. It behoves us as a nation not to stand idly by but to help our friends and newer citizens in this time of absolute need. The time for our action is now.– Yours, etc,
FRANK RUSSELL,
Main Street,
Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.
Sir, – The aftermath of natural disasters, such as the recent passage of Typhoon Haiyan over the Philippines, provokes the usual criticism that not enough is being done. What purpose does the United Nations serve if it cannot put in place provision for an immediate international response team for situations such as these?
The leading nations of the world, with their standing armies replete with so much search and rescue equipment, must surely see that being part of such an internationally recognised standby force would, more than anything, serve to validate their place in the world. US, UK, Germany, France, China, Russia, etc: stand up and be counted! – Yours, etc,
STEVEN C SMYRL,
Sydenham Terrace,
Rathgar, Dublin 6.