MY dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
As we pray for our priests and consecrated persons this Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons, let us not also forget our kababayan, whose life are in great danger due to the possible hazardous eruption of Mayon Volcano in the province of Albay.
We in Caritas Manila and Radio Veritas 846 are appealing for prayers for Divine protection and to help alleviate the sufferings through donations in cash and in kind for the relief and rehabilitation needs of our kababayan in the province of Albay affected by the possible hazardous eruption of Mayon Volcano.
Parishes from the Diocese of Albay activated their Parish Disaster Response Committees (PaDReCom) and utilized PaDReFund. Initial actions are the setting up of soup kitchens and offering church facilities to house most vulnerable evacuees, such as pregnant and lactating mothers, persons with disabilities and the elderly. Parishes also reactivated Harong program for disaster emergencies, such as volunteer shelters in private homes to help decongest evacuation centers and prioritize the needs of most vulnerable displaced population.
Rev. Fr. Rex Paul Arjona from the Social Action Center (SAC) of Diocese of Legazpi appeals to the faithful to provide the immediate needs of the evacuees.
“Most evacuees are farmers who live and work within the 6-kilometer radius permanent danger zone. Their lives are disrupted and their means of livelihood suddenly became inaccessible. That is why they need all the help we could give,” Arjona said.
As of 8 a.m. of January 20, 2018, a total of 7,252 families and 27,643 individuals in 32 barangays have been evacuated. This does not include the evacuees from Legazpi City who had been decamped days ago, but had since returned to evacuation centers.
Immediate needs identified per monitoring by SAC Legazpi and Parish Commissions on Social Concerns are nonfood items, such as sleeping mats, mosquito nets, blankets, face masks, hygiene kits, firewood, as well as food, water and additional toilets and communal kitchens.
Donations can be made online via https://ushare.unionbankph.com/caritas/ or by bank deposit:
Account Name: Caritas Manila
Banco De Oro—Savings Account: 5600-45905
Bank of the Philippine Islands— Savings Account: 3063-5357-01
Metrobank—Savings Account: 175-3-175069543.
For dollar accounts:
Account Name: Caritas Manila
Bank of the Philippine Islands—Savings Account 3064-0033-5
Swift Code—BOPIPHMM
Philippine National Bank—Savings Account 108566600025
Swift Code—PNBMPHMM
Donations can also be made via Cebuana Lhuillier (free of charge), or dropped off at Caritas Manila office at 2002 Jesus Street Pandacan, Manila or Radio Veritas in West Avenue corner Edsa, Quezon City.
For proper acknowledgment of your donations, kindly fax copy of deposit slip to 563-9306, or e-mail a scanned copy to caritas_manila@yahoo.com. Please indicate your name and complete address.
Thank you and may the Almighty God bless your generosity.
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.