€100,000 raised as 4,000 donors reach out to help repatriate Jastine’s body
MORE than €100,000 has been raised to support the heartbroken parents of slain student Jastine Valdez.
As of yesterday evening, close to 4,000 donors had raised €104,835 in a Go Fund Me campaign organised by the Irish Filipino community organisation Outreach Ireland.
The firm’s co-ordinator Raymond Garrett said the Irish people and the Filipino community here had responded to the horrific abduction and murder of the 24-year-old accountancy student with incredible generosity and compassion.
Donations had flooded in from every county in the country, he told the Irish Independent.
“This is every region and every demographic in the country,” he said.
Mr Garrett, the former director of operations for the Philippines Honorary Consul, said the campaign initially aimed to raise €10,000 in order to repatriate Jastine’s body to her native city of Aritao in the Philippines, where it is planned she will be laid to rest.
But it surpassed all expectations over the past two days to raise more than 10 times the original target. This followed Outreach Ireland putting out a call for an ‘abuloy’ – a tradition in Filipino culture to give monetary assistance to those in grief.
“This outpouring of love may not bring Jastine back but it will help give some comfort, strength and courage to face the difficult days ahead,” Outreach Ireland said on its website.
“There are not enough words to properly express how Jastine’s life was ruthlessly taken; likewise there are not enough to say how thankful we our for this incredibly moving tribute that has gone beyond our target in so little time.
“It has brought new light to how much time, love and support people can give,” it added.