US bishops to donate P25 M to aid typhoon victims

Catholic bishops in the United States are donating some P25 million in financial aid for relief and rehabilitation of typhoon-hit communities in the Philippines.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the donation would be coursed through the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official humanitarian agency of its counterpart, the United States Catholic Bishops’ Conference (USBC).

In collaboration with Caritas Philippines, the CRS said they are set to conduct an assessment for the rehabilitation of homes and livelihoods of typhoon victims in Albay.

The agency is dispatching a team that will coordinate the effort to help affected residents restore their livelihoods, the CRS said.

The CRS is currently working with Caritas in providing immediate needs like food, potable water, clothing, blankets and medicines for typhoon victims.

Around 900 bags of rice have been distributed by Catholic agencies. In one diocese alone, immediate assistance was given to some 4,000 families.

Communities in the Bicol region are still recovering from damage caused by super typhoon "Reming" which left hundreds of people dead and homeless in its path.

Officials say more than a million people from nine cities and 13 provinces in the country have been affected by the spate of super storms that hit the country in recent months that left more than 85,000 people to seek shelter in evacuation centers.

The government has estimated the cost of damage at $12 million. Before the latest blow, villages throughout the Philippines are still recovering from the effects of typhoons "Milenyo" and "Paeng."

Over the past two years, CRS has been working with the CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (NASSA) to conduct Disaster Preparedness and Response training in all of the disaster-prone areas of the Philippines.

CRS has been working in the Philippines since 1945, when they initiated relief and reconstruction efforts after World War II.

The agency continues to provide relief to victims of emergencies, whether natural disasters or man-made emergencies. They also support ongoing programs in peace and reconciliation, health and agriculture.