IN observance of the Disaster Prevention Month this July, Caritas Manila launched its educational-awareness program on disaster prevention that will run from this month up to September.
This educational-awareness program aims to educate most, especially urban poor communities in Metro Manila, about disaster prevention and awareness.
Caritas Manila works with the 13 vicariates of the Archdiocese of Manila to organize and invite participants from communities in different parishes. Together with the concerned local government units and parishes, Caritas Manila identifies families and places most prone to disaster and prepares corresponding lectures and programs needed by the communities.
The social services and development ministry of the Archdiocese of Manila held its recent disaster- prevention educational-awareness program for the Vicariate of Espiritu Santo on July 19 at the Immaculate Concepcion Parish in Tondo, Manila. There were 29 participants who attended the event from other parishes, namely, San Roque, Risen Christ, San Rafael, Immaculate Concepcion, Santa Monica and San Jose Manggagawa.
The first leg of the disaster-prevention educational-awareness program was held for the Vicariate of Santo Niño at Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Parish in Delpan, Tondo, on July 14. Forty-three participants attended the event, including those from the parishes of Saint John Bosco, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, San Pablo Apostol and Santo Niño de Tondo.
The next educational-awareness program for the remainder of July are for the following vicariates and host parishes: Vicariate of Nuestra Señora de Guia at Our Lady of Remedies Parish (July 21); Vicariate of San Jose de Trozo at San Sebastian Parish and Saint John the Baptist Parish (July 26); and Vicariate of Our Lady of Loreto at the Sacred Heart Parish (July 28).
The schedules for the month of August are as follows: Vicariate of San Fernando de Dilao at the Saint Peter the Apostle and Santo Niño de Pandacan Parish (August 3), Vicariate of the Holy Family at the Our Lady of Abandoned Parish (August 9), Vicariate of Saint John the Baptist at the Saint John the Baptist Parish (August 11), vicariate of San Felipe Neri at the San Roque Parish (August 17), Vicariate of Santa Clara de Montefalco at the Santa Clara de Montefalco Parish (August 23), Vicariate of SaintJoseph the Worker at the San Ildefonso Parish (August 25) and in the Vicariate of Saints Peter and Paul at the National Shrine of Sacred Heart of Jesus (August 30).
The last leg will be on September 1 at the Mater Dolorosa Parish for the Vicariate of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Trained volunteers and staff from Caritas Manila have been providing seminars and awareness campaign, with participants undertaking relevant activities that emphasize disaster-risk reduction and management (DRRM) education, such as an orientation on the different health hazards, devoting time for discussion of preparedness, mitigation and prevention during the rainy season in class, a symposium or forum on DRRM and other related activities, to meet the needs of the participating communities.
The Church has been continuously doing its role to make communities and families more resilient against threats to their health and safety. Let us do our part in return to spread awareness and education to ensure effective and efficient responses to disasters.
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To know more about Caritas Manila, visit www.caritasmanila.org.ph. For your donations, call our DonorCare lines 563-9311, 564-0205, 0999-7943455, 0905-4285001 and 0929-8343857. Make it a habit to listen to Radio Veritas 846 in the AM band, or through live streaming at www.veritas846.ph. For comments, e-mail veritas846pr@gmail.com.