Philippines

October 2011

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is responding to communities and families in the Philippines that have been affected by two powerful typhoons,

Typhoon Nesat entered the Philippines September 24, 2011 ,and for three days, it ravaged the agricultural provinces in Northern and Central Luzon and affected thousands of families in the 17 cities and municipalities in Metro Manila, especially those living in low-lying and flood-prone areas.

Two days after Typhoon Nesat left the country, Typhoon Nalgae brought in heavy rains again badly affecting provinces in northern and central Luzon. Many communities were submerged under 3-10 feet of floodwater and thousands of affected families in the two provinces were stranded on the roofs of their homes as floodwaters continued to rise.

Family being evacuated from Philippine flooding. Photo by Jason Gutierrez/IRIN

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported 878,509 families were affected in 3,252 villages in 349 municipalities and 41 cities in the 34 provinces of Luzon. Destruction of property was placed at 10,061 destroyed houses and 61,523 damaged houses.

There was severe damage to agriculture and infrastructure.  Losses to agriculture, particularly rice and corn crops, has been estimated at PhP 10.83 billion (US$251M) while damage to infrastructure was placed at PhP 1.5 billion (US$34.8M).

PDA Response

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has provided One Great Hour of Sharing funds to our mission partner National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP).  National Council of Churches of the Philippines is also a member of ACT Alliance.

PDA’s support will help to provide food, shelter and medical care to 10,000 affected families—about 60,000 people.  In addition, 1,000 families will receive livelihood support through a Food-for-work program to repair damaged community facilities, farmland rehabilitation, and house repair or rebuilding.  Seeds and animals will be provided for rehabilitation support to farming families whose sources of livelihood and economic means were destroyed.

PDA funds will also support psychosocial activities especially to women and children traumatized during the emergency; and will support seminars and workshops on disaster risk reduction.

How You Can Help

You can stand in the “GAP” for disaster survivors and help the church in this response.

GIVE. The generous sharing of your financial blessings through the One Great Hour of Sharing offering and special designated giving provides resources needed to assist with immediate emergency needs, clean up provisions, long-term and unmet needs, and spiritual/emotional counseling.

Individuals may give online, or through their local Presbyterian congregation, on the secure PC(USA) Web site or by sending their check to:

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

To support international response, please include the special designated giving account DR999999 – International Disasters and Emergencies.

Congregations should send donations through their normal mission giving channels.

ACT. Stay informed and share information about the need with others. Sign up to receive PDA Rapid Information Network (PDA-RIN) email notices to alert you of additional needs.

PRAY. Our best response is prayer.  1 Thessalonians implores us to pray without ceasing, so your prayers are requested above all else.  Please pray for families as they move beyond these times of disaster and into the work of rebuilding life and livelihoods, and that the assistance provided will bear the hope of Christ as it helps meet physical needs.

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With the blessing of Session, a small team was called together in 2009 to study Alice Mann’s book Raising the Roof and was asked to help engage the congregation in discovering where God might be calling LPC after 150 years of ministry in the Laurel area. The goal of the Raising the Roof Team was to produce a concrete action plan to:

• increase the outreach and mission of LPC
• increase worship attendance

Session approved the plan in June 2010. Now it is up to everyone to help make the plan a reality. We will shortly put up a "punch list" of the things that have been accomplished and what is left to do.