Donations for the country’s typhoon victims keep pouring in from various parts of the world, and in the case of a young Mexican pupil, it came with the crashing sound of his piggy bank.

Fifth grader Alejandro Luna Flores last week emptied his ''alkansiya” (piggy bank) and handed over its contents worth 410 Mexican pesos — approximately PhP2,451 — to Philippine Ambassador to Mexico Alejandro Ortigas III, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Ortigas, in his report to the DFA, said the young Alejandro called on him last October 9 to express sympathy for the victims of Typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” and give his donation for the Filipino children who have suffered in the calamities.

Alejandro, who was accompanied by his lawyer parents and his six-month-old brother, apparently has a strong affinity for the Philippines which he developed over a summer class. Since then, the boy started collecting items about the country, including old, two-peso Philippine bills.

In his letter to the envoy, Alejandro said he likes reading the history of the Philippines, and that one of his favorite tourist destinations in the country is Chocolate Hills in Bohol.

“The young boy said he hopes to visit the Philippines someday,” said Ortega, who also received from Alejandro a rooster art work in blown glass, a product of the State of Hidalgo.

Alejandro’s father said it symbolizes the cockfighting influence of the Philippines to Mexico.

In turn, Ortigas gave Alejandro a Philippine table flag and other mementos.

Meanwhile, international aid for typhoon victims has hit the $103.31 million or P4.8-billion mark as of Thursday, the DFA said.

A big chunk of the financial contribution (US$76.03 million or P3.53 billion) came from international organizations.

These include contributions in cash or in kind from the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Children’s Fund, World Food Programme and World Health Organization, among others.

Among the Philippine bilateral partners who donated in cash or in kind are Australia, Singapore, the United States, Japan, China, Canada, Italy, South Korea, Thailand, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand, Brunei Darussalam, Bahrain, Sweden, Brazil, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom and Great Britain, and Czech Republic.

Meanwhile, assistance from Muslim countries continues to arrive in the Philippines for the victims of "Ondoy" and "Pepeng," as a Turkish organization in tandem with the Fountain International School and Integrative Center for Alternative Development (FIS-ICAD) have provided P1.5 million worth of relief goods for about 5,000 flood victims.

FIS-ICAD, with schools in Greenhills, San Juan, and in other areas, partnered with Kimse Yok Mu, a Turkish charity group, last October 7 in distributing 30 tons of rice (from Kimse Yok Mu), six tons of assorted goods donated by parents of FIS-ICAD students from the Annapolis and Santolan campuses, some 500 bags of noodles, sardines, toiletries, and children's diapers.

FIS-ICAD school Directors Yusuf Ozdemir, Bora Aslan, Turkish Chamber of Commerce head Sami Sahinduran and a representative of Kimse Yok Mu distributed the humanitarian assistance to the flood victims in the communities of Barangay Rosario, Pasig City, Marikina City, and Taguig City.

Ozdemir said their two campuses called off a day school so the school officials, teachers, staff, parents and students could join in packing and giving of the relief goods.

"The ICAD Foundation and two FIS campuses had been very sensitive in acting immediately to reach out to those who are in need as it is one of the goals being followed by every member of the community," the Turkish national said, adding they distributed the goods when flood was still high.

"These sincere activities and concerns are manifested on the students for they are exposed not only to learn academics and behaviors but most especially to show them the real mission of FIS which is to be good to other people by way of being helpful for the sake of mankind," said Ozdemir.

FIS-ICAD has been sharing and giving donations consistently even in past calamities and during Islamic festivals.

As this developed, the Office on Muslim Affairs-National Capital Region Office under Director Kim Edres has been in the forefront in securing and delivering assistance to Muslims in Metro Manila affected by the twin typhoons. (With a report by Edd K. Usman)