The Philippine embassy in Washington on Sunday said Catholic Relief Services is now planning for the recovery phase along with its partners.
Philippine ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr. was quoted in a news release of the embassy as saying the recovery phase will include “restoring livelihoods for almost 500,000 people in Palo, Ormoc [in Leyte] and Basey [in Samar] by restarting cultivation of staple crops, vegetable crops and poultry and providing cash for work for people to clear up their neighborhoods.”
Earlier, the embassy said the CRS had committed more than $20 million in emergency aid.
For now, the Embassy said CRS is working with Caritas Philippines, the Philippine government and other humanitarian organizations in assisting affected communities.
“We feel not just the prayers of the Church in the United States but also the concrete help that it continues to provide for our people. And we are extremely grateful,” Cuisia said.
He added that while the road to recovery will be long, “with sustained prayers, I know that our people will overcome these trials and continue to see the work of our good Lord even in these most difficult of times.”
Cuisia commended the CRS for being among the first relief organizations to respond to Yolanda.
He said CRS distributed thousands of temporary shelters for victims in Ormoc and Palo, and acquired two million water purification tablets that were distributed with hygiene and sanitation kits.
Meanwhile, Cuisia thanked the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, through its president New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
Dolan had sent a letter of solidarity to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), where he indicated he urged US bishops to take a special collection to help in the typhoon relief efforts.
$100k donation
Last Monday, Washington Archbishop Cardinal Donald Wuerl told almost 300 Filipino and American Catholics who attended a special Mass for Yolanda victims at the Saint Matthew’s Cathedral that $100,000 had already been turned over to the CBCP to assist in the relief efforts.
He said collections in the archdiocese will also be given to the CRS for its typhoon relief efforts.
Wuerl presided over the Mass organized by the Philippine Embassy. Concelebrating it were Msgr. Ronald Jameson, rector of the cathedral, Rev. Fr. Francis Villanueva and several other priests.
“We pray for all those who continue to suffer in the Philippines and for the repose of all those who lost their lives. We pray that the Lord would look with compassion on our affliction and lighten your children’s burden,” said Wuerl.
Yolanda barreled through parts of Visayas and Southern Luzon last Nov. 8, leaving more than 5,500 dead in its wake. — LBG, GMA News
