Church leads ‘Frank’ relief drive
By Margaux Ortiz, Nestor P. Burgos Jr., David Israel Sinay
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 05:54:00 06/26/2008
Filed Under: Typhoon Frank, Relief & Aid Organisations, Disasters (general), Churches (organisations)
MANILA, Philippines -- Churches and other concerned groups have initiated campaigns to solicit donations for victims of Typhoon “Frank” (international codename: Fengshen).
“The need and urgency for relief assistance is mounting as reports from dioceses indicate the extent of the damage,” said Tim Gabuna, an official of the drive undertaken by the Ateneo de Manila University Disaster Response and Management Team and Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan.
“The victims need ready-to-eat goods, clothing (including underwear) and potable water,” Gabuna said in a statement.
Boxes of noodles, sardines, biscuits, clothes and water bottles were delivered to evacuation centers in churches and towns in flood-stricken Iloilo, as residents grappled with the loss of lives and property, and the lack of electricity, drinking water and communication.
Msgr. Meliton Oso, executive director of the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center, said relief items were being distributed to parishes occupied by displaced families. Around 700 evacuees have been staying at the Jaro Cathedral alone since Saturday.
Gabuna disclosed that the National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) sent over a million pesos worth of relief goods to dioceses in Eastern Visayas on Tuesday.
“Immediately after the typhoon, Caritas Manila dispatched relief assistance to typhoon victims within Metro Manila and initially released half a million pesos for the relief operations of Nassa,” he said.
Moreover, he said, American bishops, through the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), had donated some P2 million in collaboration with the relief operations of Nassa.
Relief goods from government agencies have also been distributed to Iloilo towns affected by the flooding. In less accessible areas, military helicopters were used to transport the goods.
Oso appealed for more donations and assistance as the evacuees could not go back to their homes which had been swept away or covered with debris and mud.
While in the United States on a personal mission, Bishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona called for help for typhoon victims in areas under the Prelature of Infanta in Quezon.
“I’m also asking the help of Mila Glodava of the Metro Infanta Foundation,” Tirona said in a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He was referring to the Filipino-run nonprofit organization based in Colorado, which is composed of natives of northern Quezon who are now based in different parts of the globe.
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