I know many people have been affected by the ongoing travel restrictions imposed by the Philippine government due to the surging cases which continues to plague our country. We all have family, friends and reasons to go home, however hospitalization rates are up and we are on the brink of concern. We need your help to advocate and push for the quick response of the Moderna vaccine to be deployed to the Philippines. The Philippine government has signed an agreement with Moderna for 20M vaccinations which will help our country resume normalcy for the economy and for our people.

We are asking for your participation in writing to your elected officials to help our cause.

By writing letters to Congress to authorize and expedite the deployment of the vaccine we can help so many Filipinos deal with the affects of the pandemic. The original target for distribution was June -July, but we are hoping with your help, we can have those vaccines by the end of April.

Thank you for your support and please pray for the Philippines.

Legislators rely on letters to find out what constituents and advocacy organizations are thinking. Letters can play an important role in establishing a relationship with a legislator, explaining an organization’s policy position, and eliciting a response from the Member of Congress.

SAMPLE DRAFT

BEGIN LETTER

April 2, 2021

The Honorable (insert senator’s name)
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

or

The Honorable (insert representative’s name)
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Senator/ Representative [INSERT LAST NAME],

This letter is to request assistance for the COVID-19 emergency that is now occurring in the Philippines. There are close to 5 million Filipino Americans with close ties to their relatives in the Philippines; and also 300,000 American citizens residing in the country. The hospitals are full and there is a dire need for therapeutics, ventilators, preventive education, PPEs, disinfestation, protocols, and vaccines.

We believe that your leadership in the US Congress plays a key role in helping with an international, US led, comprehensive anti-pandemic effort and humanitarian aid for the Philippines.

We are also writing both the majority and minority leaders for a non-partisan appeal to the US Senate and the House of Representatives. Specifically, our goal is to expedite the release, instead of June-July, of the 20 million Moderna vaccine doses, that the Philippine Government has paid for. The urgency of the situation, as
expressed by Philippine Ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel Romualdez, is to consider an initial export release, by the US Government, of five to ten million vaccine doses by this April. Your support will save lives in the Philippines.

Sincerely,

[INSERT YOUR NAME]

END LETTER

Tips:

Use your own words. Personal letters are most effective.
* State the topic you are writing about, and your position on it, in the
opening sentences.
* Use personal experience or concrete examples from the member’s state
or district to make your case.
* Be polite, positive, and constructive. Don’t plead, and never threaten.
* You can also draw attention to an issue by writing letters to the editors
of local newspapers. Members of Congress always read letters in their
hometown newspapers. Write a clear, concise message (less than 200
words).

COMMUNICATING WITH THE WHITE HOUSE

Sometimes you may want to call or write the White House to register your opinions. The Administration uses calls and letters to the White House as a gauge of public opinion. Communicating with the Executive Office can be as important as calls and letters to Congress.

• When writing to the White House, the proper salutation is ―Dear Mr. President. The address is:
• The President
• The White House
• 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
• Washington, D.C. 20500
•  If you would like to call the White House, you can use the White House
• comment line at 202-456-1111 or leave a message with an operator. The
• fax number is 202-456-2461.
•  You can also e-mail your message using the following email address:
• President@WhiteHouse.gov.
•  You may want to ask to speak to the specific staff member who covers
• the issues about which you are calling. They are often very difficult to
• reach.

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