Church launches ‘solidarity appeal’ for typhoon-hit areas

MANILA — After rolling out an initial of P2 million for the pre-positioning of goods in affected by typhoon Ruby, the Catholic Church’s social action arm launched Saturday, a Solidarity Appeal to the country’s 85 dioceses in a bid to raise funds for its relief efforts.In the letter sent to all 85 bishops nationwide, Cáceres Archbishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona, who also heads the National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice, and Peace (NASSA)/Caritas Philippines, explains that while the Church has began financing the prepositioning of goods and emergency relief operation of the dioceses, the emergency funds from Alay Kapwa” are not enough considering the vast scope of the typhoon. To the unaffected dioceses, we call on you to organize relief operations to the affected Dioceses nearest you or you may choose to send your donations to the Alay Kapwa account for the relief operations of the Catholic Church network,” Tirona pleads. NASSA/Caritas Philippines has released P2 million from Alay Kapwa, the Church’s Lenten evangelization and fundraising program, as well as from other local and non-Caritas Internationalis funds for the purchase of relief goods, which have already been pre-positioned in possible typhoon-hit areas.The Church body is in close coordination with affected dioceses, concerned government agencies, and Caritas Internationalis member organizations for pre-emptive measures and relief operations.Those who are interested to help in the relief operations of the Catholic Church may deposit their donations through the following bank accountandBankand Bank of the Philippine IslandsAcct. Nameand CBCP Caritas Filipinas Foundation, Inc.Acct. Numberand 4951-0071-08(Raymond A. Sebastián/CBCP News)