Caritas-member countries, ‘Yolanda’ survivors join hands for Typhoon Lando relief ops

 At least four Caritas Internationalis member countries have already pledged its support to the on-going relief operations being headed by the Philippine Catholic Church for victims of Typhoon Lando (Koppu).

In a statement, the Catholic Church’s social action arm, the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA)/Caritas Philippines, said that among those who pledged its support are Caritas Germany with P2-million, and Caritas Spain with P2.5-million.

The Catholic Relief Services (Caritas USA) and Cordaid (Caritas Netherlands) also contributed P2.12 million, and P2.32 million, respectively.

“These amounts would surely go a long way in helping those in need of immediate assistance, especially as many typhoon affected-communities have yet to receive humanitarian aid. To all Caritas-member countries, our heartfelt thanks again,” NASSA/Caritas Philippines Executive Secretary Fr. Edwin Gariguez said.

The priest said they expect more pledges from Caritas-member countries in the coming days as the relief operations continue.

Meanwhile, survivors of Typhoon Yolanda from Palo, Leyte also took part in the Church’s on-going response to Typhoon Lando.

Gariguez said staffs from the Archdiocese of Palo Relief and Rehabilitation Unit (Caritas Palo) volunteered to participate in the rapid needs assessment in Nueva Vizcaya and Cagayan, which are among the provinces worst-hit by ‘Lando’.

“We really appreciate how dioceses previously affected by Typhoon Yolanda immediately flew here to immediately respond to the needs of the people in Northern Luzon. The spirit of Alay Kapwa is truly alive during these trying times,” he said.

This is not the first time that Typhoon Yolanda survivors helped victims of other typhoons. Last year, they were also among the first to send relief aid to nearby Samar during the onslaught of Typhoon Ruby.     

NASSA/Caritas Philippines earlier launched an emergency appeal to the Caritas Internationalis confederation to provide P13.21-million worth of relief aid to 25,000 people in 15 provinces affected by Lando.  These are the provinces of:  Aurora, Quezon, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Qurino, Nueva Ecija, Kalinga,Benguet, Pangasinan, Zambales, Rizal, Cavite, Batanes, La Union, and Abra.

A ‘Lando’ Monitoring Center was also established at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines office in Intramuros, Manila. 

The global Caritas Internationalis with 165 member countries worldwide is currently being headed by its first Asian President Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. 

Reference:

NASSA/Caritas Philippines

PRESS RELEASE

October 22, 2015

JING REY HENDERSON

Communications Manager

Humanitarian Unit

NASSA/Caritas Philippines

(0905) 546-9977 / 527-4163

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

NASSA/Caritas Philippines

Humanitarian Unit

CBCP Compound, 470 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila

02.527.4163 / 0905.546.9977

Catholic Church to roll out P13-million relief aid for Typhoon Lando victims

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

NASSA/Caritas Philippines

Humanitarian Unit

PRESS RELEASE

October 21, 2015

Catholic Church to roll out P13-million relief aid for Typhoon Lando victims

   The Catholic Church through its social action arm, the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA)/Caritas Philippines will be allocating P13.21-million to areas hit by Typhoon Lando (Koppu).

   In an emergency appeal launched to the Caritas Internationalis confederation, NASSA/Caritas Philippines is planning to help 25,000 people through the provision of ready-to-eat food, water, hygiene kits, emergency shelter, and other non-food items such as blankets, sleeping mats and mosquito nets.

   “We are aiming to help the most vulnerable people such as the elderly, disabled, single parents and those who are ill from the worst-hit and hard-to-reach areas. We are very thankful to our Caritas networks around the globe for its immediate response to our appeal,” NASSA/Caritas Philippines Executive Secretary Fr. Edwin Gariguez.    

   Cordaid (Caritas Netherlands) and the Catholic Relief Services (Caritas USA) have already pledged P2.12-million and P2.32-million, respectively.

  The emergency programme will initially cover 15 provinces being assisted by 16 dioceses in in Central and Southern Luzon, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, CAR, Ilocos and Calabarzon. These are the provinces of:  Aurora, Quezon, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Qurino, Nueva Ecija, Kalinga, Benguet, Pangasinan,Zambales, Rizal, Cavite, Batanes, La Union, and Abra.

   “We are still waiting for more data from our assessment teams on the ground. These areas may still change depending on the needs of the affected dioceses,” Gariguez added.    

   So far, data gathered by NASSA/Caritas Philippines from its diocesan social action networks, showed that among those badly needing assistance now are Aurora, Quirino, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, La Union, and Cagayan.  

   NASSA/Caritas Philippines already sent its monitoring teams to these areas to make ground assessments and ensure that the needs of the affected people are met. A ‘Lando’ Monitoring Center was also established at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines office in Intramuros, Manila.  

   At least 20 people were dead, while 300,000 people were affected by typhoon Lando, since it entered the country last week and devastated parts of Northern Luzon.  

   As of this morning, ‘Lando’ was already downgraded to a tropical depression, but the heavy winds and persistent rains have led to severe flooding, landslides, damaged homes, fallen trees and blocked roads.

   ‘Lando’ came two years after the devastation Supertyphoon Yolanda, the most powerful storm recorded, which killed 6,000 people. Since then, NASSA/Caritas Philippines has been rolling out various relief and rehabilitation programs to typhoon victims through the support of the Caritas Internationalis network.    

   The global Caritas Internationalis with 165 member countries worldwide is currently being headed by its first Asian President Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

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Reference:

JING REY HENDERSON

Communications Manager

Humanitarian Unit

NASSA/Caritas Philippines

(0905) 546-9977 / 527-4163