.2 million flood-stricken families still need help - Caritas

MANILA, Philippines - Over 200,000 poor families in Metro Manila and outlying provinces affected by storm “Ondoy” are still in desperate need of food and relief assistance, according to Caritas Manila.

Reverend Fr. Anton Pascual, executive director of Caritas Manila, yesterday said the figure increased from previously reported 150,000 families, following updated reports from different parishes.

The Caritas Crisis and Disaster Program utilizes the Church’s network of parishes, priests, social action centers, schools and volunteers to bring aid and assistance directly to affected areas and families.

Caritas noted that a total of 90,212 affected families have received relief aid through Caritas Manila’s Crisis and Disaster Program as of Oct. 9.

As of Oct. 10, Caritas Manila and Radio Veritas 846 said total donations for victims of Ondoy has reached P27.7 million in cash and in kind.

 “This is expected to still go higher as parish donations continue to come in following Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales’ call for all the parishes to help,” Pascual said.

Rosales has urged all Catholics nationwide to come to the aid of the families heavily affected by storm Ondoy and the floods.

“The tragedy brought about by Typhoon Ondoy continues with devastating consequences in the lives, homes and neighborhood of many people around Metro Manila and most of Southern and Central Luzon. A destruction as large as this becomes a call to all of us to reach out to our brothers and sisters who are out there literally still wet and cold—homeless,” he said.

He also urged the faithful to start taking care of the environment.

Meanwhile, Caritas Manila has assured that they are delivering “quality relief goods.”

“This is what we want to make sure because we want our brothers and sisters to feel some comfort to ease their pain and suffering when they receive the relief goods,” Pascual said.

The Caritas relief pack contains the following: five kilos of rice, four cans of pork and beans, one kilo of brown sugar, five cans of sardines, two 500-milliliter bottles of water, one 350-ml container of cooking oil, and five cans of meat loaf.

Pascual said all parishes nationwide may accept collect donations in cash and in kind. These donations can be brought to the different Social Action Centers, which in turn will coordinate with Caritas Manila for distribution to the nine affected dioceses (Archdiocese of Manila, Dioceses of Pasig, Kalookan, Cubao, Novaliches, Malolos, San Pablo, Parañaque, and Antipolo).