Justin Bieber Uses Graffiti To Help Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Relief Effort

Justin Bieber is using his graffiti to help raise money for victims of Philippines’ Typhoon Haiyan.

The 19-year-old, who is currently on a brief break from his Believe world tour, tagged graffiti on a wall in Los Angeles on Saturday (Nov. 17), along with his friend Milk Tyson, TMZ reports.

The design shows gray-colored hands clasped in prayer with “Pray 4 Philippines” spray-painted in red above. A star features on one side and Justin signed his initials “JB” at the base.

A selection of pictures published at TMZ shows the singer in one shot praying beside the art work.

The celebrity news site says Bieber’s plan is to auction off the spray cans, together with a signed picture of the street art. Monies raised will be donated to a Philippines typhoon relief effort group that will be announced in the near future.

A source tell TMZ the teen star is keen to “get involved” in the effort to help the Southeast Asian nation get back on its feet.

(Photo: via milktyson Instagram, captioned, “My brother @justinbieber just blessed me with some art at one of my spots! We are gonna do somet[hing] big to give back to the victims of the tragedy. #PrayForThePhilippines.”)

Apparently, this is just a first step and there will be other contributions at some point.

Whether that means more graffiti or a financial pledge isn’t yet known.

Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines on Friday, Nov. 8. The number of people confirmed dead now stands at 3,631, but over nine million have been affected or displaced by the disaster.

Philippine leaders have asked for help from other nations and aid agencies, and several countries have pledged help in the form of financial aid, relief supplies or emergency teams.

Ironically, Bieber’s graffiti earned him a “vandalism” charge on the same day the Typhoon first hit. Rio de Janeiro police took exception to a series of tags the teen star spray-painted along a wall of the former Hotel Nacional in the Joá neighborhood.

Even though the pop star had permission from Rio’s city hall to graffiti a wall in two different areas, because he chose not to, reportedly for safety reasons, that permission was not extended.

Rio police say the charge is a “minor offence.” It has been forwarded to an appropriate court for a judge to determine the cost of the fine Bieber will have to pay, E! News reports.

The “Baby” singer last performed in the Philippines in May 2011, and in December last year was threatened with a ban on entering the country after its congress too offence over fairly innocuous comments made on Instagram about national boxing star Manny Pacquiao’s knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez.

But it seems Bieber bears no ill and is happy to do his bit to help the country, as are many other celebrities.

The singer’s tumultuous tour resumes in Mexico City from Nov. 18-19.

If you’d like to donate to Typhoon Haiyan relief, visit UNICEF.org and Philippine Red Cross (Redcross.org.ph/).