Caritas volunteers load relief items in the service car for distribution to affected parishes. (Photo grabbed from Caritas Facebook Page.)
MANILA, August 23, 2013— All parishes and shrines in the Archdiocese of Manila will conduct a second collection in all Masses this Saturday and Sunday for flood victims caused by monsoon rains.
In a circular issued this week, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle requested a second collection to support relief and recovery efforts for those displaced by the massive flooding in Luzon.
“For the affected parishes and communities, let us share and care for the others who may be in a worse situation than we are,” Tagle said.
“Let this be an opportunity for us to be Jesus’ love to one another,” he added.
The CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action—Justice and Peace (Nassa), meanwhile, reiterated the Church’s commitment to help rebuild lives of recent victims of calamities in the country.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Nassa chairman, said parts of Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao remain inundated since the start of monsoon season.
Pabillo said more relief assistance is also needed for victims of the recent Typhoon Labuyo that caused major damages in the provinces of Zambales, Quirino and Aurora.
To support the capacity of the dioceses in providing relief assistance, Nassa sent an initial P1.3 million to the social action centers of Archdiocese of Cotabato and the Dioceses of Iba, Bayombong and Infanta.
Similary, Pabillo said that Caritas Manila sent P1.4 million, adding to its list the Diocese of Ilagan.
But the bishop said these amounts are meager compared to the immensity of need.
“Thus, we need to mobilize our diocesan network to raise more funds in solidarity with the victims and survivors in the affected dioceses,” Pabillo said.
Pabillo said cash donations may be deposited to the Bank of the Philippine Islands via Account Name CBCP Caritas Filipinas Foundation Inc. with Account Number 4951-0071-08 or at http://ushare.unionbankph.com/caritasfilipinas/ for online donations. (CBCPNews)
