Catholic Church pitches in cash relief

The Catholic Church has assured the government that it would help in providing relief and assistance to Filipinos, particularly the poor, as the country struggles to contain the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“The Church is ready to help the national government in providing aid to the people, especially now that many poor families are in need of money for their everyday needs,” Bishop Broderick Pabillo, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, told the church-run Radio Veritas.

Caritas Manila, the social service arm of the Archdiocese of Manila, has distributed more than P1 billion worth of gift certificates to poor families, with each family receiving P1,000 worth of the gift check. The charity organization Catholic Relief Services (CRS) also provided P1.2-million initial assistance to persons with disabilities (PWD) and workers in the informal economy whose livelihoods were severely affected by the enhanced community quarantine across Luzon.

CRS Philippines has partnered with Tahanang Walang Hagdanan Inc. to provide 116 PWDs in the facility with food and hygiene items.

The organization said it was working with Caritas Pasig and the local government of Barangay Santo Rosario Kanluran in the municipality of Pateros to provide 150 informal workers with a cash grant of P5,000 each.