Philippines government honors Yoko Ono

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Congressional Citation for Yoko Ono
By Ben R. Rosario
February 21, 2013


MANILA, Philippines --- The Philippine House of Representatives will award a congressional citation to fashion designer Yoko Ono, widow of rock legend John Lennon, for her generous donation to the victims of typhoon “Pablo” in Mindanao.
This developed as financial assistance and material donations continued to flow for the Mindanao victims who lost relatives and have been rendered homeless when typhoon Pablo unleashed huge amounts of rains that flooded many parts of Davao region.
Recent donors included Rotary International District 3780 members and members of the Court of Appeals led by Associate Justices Danton Bueser and Ricardo Rosario.
Rotary Clubs in Quezon City led by RI Governor Penny Policarpio visited typhoon victims on Tuesday to donate truckloads of relief goods and food.
Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo filed House Resolution 3010 to commend On for “her generous donation” to Pablo victims.
Ono, Japanese wife of Beatles legend John Lennon, sent $10,000 or P406,250 to help fund relief and rehabilitation efforts for the thousands of Mindanao families displaced by the typhoon.
A Rotarian, Castelo expressed the gratitude of the House of Representatives to the widow of Beatles legend John Lennon for her grant and for her noble projects in the Philippines.
“This Resolution is a token of the Philippine government’s appreciation for the supreme acts of charity and generosity that Ms. Ono has done and continues to do in furtherance of the welfare of schoolchildren, disaster victims and those similarly marginalized in our body polity,” Castelo said.
The administration lawmaker said Ono, who is an established musical artist and fashion designer, remitted her donation to the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo on January 28, 2013.
“She learned about the disastrous effects of Pablo in Mindanao following a personal visit she made to the official residence of the Philippine Ambassador to Japan on Dec. 5, 2012,” Castelo added.
Castelo said Ono spent her childhood years in a residence, an Iberian-style mansion built in 1934 owned by her uncle Iwajiro Yasuda.  It was then sold to President Jose P. Laurel and was subsequently acquired by the Philippine Government after World War II.
Castelo said Ono conveyed to Ambassador Manuel Lopez her appreciation for the care the Philippine government has taken to preserve the historic mansion.
In return, Ono, as part of her charitable activities of assisting schoolchildren in the country, thought of donating to the typhoon Pablo victims.

“This is not to mention her other contribution in the wake of Tropical storm “Ondoy” in 2009, where she donated P 2.5 million,” Castelo said.
“A copy of this Resolution should be sent to the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo and another copy for Ms. Yoko Ono as a token of the Philippine government’s appreciation for her charitable projects in the country,” Castelo said.

Yoko Ono