November 13, 2013 Philippines

From our staff: Charitas gives families tent curtains

Caritas employee Ondřej Suchánek travelled to Manila yesterday and attended a coordination meeting at the headquarters of Caritas Philippines in Manila this morning. There they discussed the commitment of Caritas Internationalis members to provide 1.5 million euros to help people in the Philippines.

The network of national charities has already been providing assistance through Caritas Philippines – NASSA’s, supported by the American charity organization Catholic Relief Services. The Philippine Catholic dioceses employees have already managed to deliver food to some of the most affected areas.

The member organizations of the Caritas network are considering the issue of the so-called Emergency Appeal (Call in crisis) with the description of the situation, the summary of needs and the proposal to help. The aid will now be directed primarily to the eastern part of the Philippines, to Tacloban city and to the islands of Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Negros, Bohol, Panay, Mindoro and Palawan.

"At today's meeting, Caritas Philippines mentioned providing assistance to other places that the typhoon had hit and from where you still do not get the information," says Ondřej Suchánek from Manila. "It is necessary to focus internationally on preventing various infectious diseases."

Charity will supply tent shelters, specifically a durable tent curtains of dimension ​​78.6 square meters and nails for the frame manufacture of these shelters. The frame will be made from local materials by the families. And then it will be attached to the durable tent curtain. Currently, the charity also wants to provide clean water for the families in the affected areas, also jerry cans, hygiene supplies, blankets and basic kitchen equipment, most of which remained underneath the rubble of houses. For example, the purchase of a household appliances for one family including mats, three blankets, essential cutlery, utensils, glasses and a cooking pot, will cost 550 CZK.

For more information concerning the cost of individual packages can be found in the article “How will help charities in the Philippines”.