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Filipinos in San Francisco, California, have contributed $5,000 in financial assistance for victims of tropical storm “Ondoy,” according to the Philippine Consul General in San Francisco.

Philippine Consul General to San Francisco Marciano Paynor Jr. said the amount came from individual contributions by consulate officers and staff.

“This donation is our small contribution to the ongoing relief effort for the flood victims. It is a voluntary gesture that was agreed upon by all consulate personnel in response to the devastation brought by the heavy rains and floods that hit Metro Manila and other parts of the Philippines during the weekend,” Paynor said in a statement released by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Paynor said he met with leaders of the Filipino-American community in Bay Area to discuss relief efforts for the victims. In the meeting, he pushed for the establishment of an organization “that will coordinate relief efforts during times of crisis and natural disasters.”

“Since such calamities have been recurring in the Philippines, it is necessary for our community in San Francisco and the Bay Area to create an organization that will coordinate relief efforts during times of crisis and natural disasters,” he said.

Paynor, for his part, offered to serve as the organization’s secretariat, adding that he has already reserved several rooms at the Philippine Center where members can meet on a regular basis.

“The personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco are ready to help our community in coordinating efforts for the relief drive. We will utilize several rooms at the Philippine Center to serve as drop off points for the collection, packing, and sending of donated items for the benefit of the flood victims,” the official said.