Jan 12, 2022
As relief efforts continue in the Philippines following the devastating impact of Typhoon Odette in December 2021, MSC Mission response programmes are ongoing.
On January 11th, the MSC Mission Office in the Philippines reported that relief outreach to date has been far-reaching, with 3,791 relief packs, 575 sacks of rice, and 730 gallons of water distributed since the typhoon hit in mid-December, killing over 400 and rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless.
The Facebook page for the MSC Mission Office in the Philippines shared a collection of photographs of the relief distribution programme based in Guilutongan Island, Cordova, which is one of the most affected communities in Cebu. These images give just some indication of the sheer scale of the damage done by Typhoon Odette as it tore through the country, leaving close to 600,000 people without homes.
Writing from an evacuation centre on Christmas Eve, community leader Fr Richie Gomez MSC told Irish Provincial Superior Fr Carl Tranter MSC how grateful he was for the “overwhelming support” that our Filipino MSC brothers have received from the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. We ask that your continue to keep our MSC brothers and the people of the Philippines in your prayers as they continue to navigate this landscape of loss and destruction.
Images via the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc. Facebook page.
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Jan 4, 2022
MSCs in the Philippines have been working throughout the Christmas season to bring emergency aid to survivors of Typhoon Odette, which hit the country with devastating consequences on December 16th, 2021.
Super Typhoon Rai, known locally as Odette, was the largest storm of 2021, with 6.2 million people affected in ten regions across the country. 580,000 people were displaced by the storm, and the death toll, as of December 30th, was at 397, with many more injuries. Over 712,000 homes have been badly damaged or destroyed by the storm, while an estimated 80,000 hectares of crops and agricultural land have been ravaged by powerful winds and torrential rain.
Our MSC Centre for the Poor, located in Butuan, has been carrying out relief efforts over the Christmas period. Headed by community leader Fr Richie Gomez MSC, the volunteer team have been working to bring vital emergency aid to families and communities in the south of the country.
As of December 30th, it was reported that some 580,000 people had been displaced by the storm, with 356,000 people dependent on the services of evacuation centres, while a further 227,000 were staying with family or friends. Writing from an evacuation centre on Christmas Eve, where he and a group of volunteers were handing out meals to the indigenous Badjao community, who had been “washed out” of their homes on the shoreline, Fr Richie told Irish Provincial Superior Fr Carl Tranter MSC how grateful he was for the “overwhelming support” that our Filipino MSC brothers have received from the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
“It is quite emotional, on my part, celebrating Christmas Eve in evacuation centres, when Jesus became the bread of life, the Emmanuel, for all of us,” wrote Fr Richie.
“I thank God for this great privilege… He has used me on a Christmas Eve to feed hundreds of evacuees with mushroom burgers made by our scholars at the Centre for the Poor.”
“Thank you for your overwhelming support!”
Our MSC brothers and Sacred Heart sisters are working tirelessly to provide essential support to the survivors of the typhoon as clean-up operations continue. We ask that you please keep our Sacred Heart family, and the communities they serve, in your prayers at this time of great need.
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Dec 27, 2021
On December 22nd, the MSC Missions Office in the Philippines hosted a day of community sharing and togetherness, with the Share a Christmas Basket Project in Sta. Quiteria and St Francis of Asissi Parish Church.
On December 20th, local volunteers worked together to pack hundreds of baskets of food and Christmas provisions in preparation for the programme, which benefitted a total of 1,000 families who received care packages on the day.
The MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc. posted their gratitude on their Facebook page:
“On behalf of the beneficiaries, we would like to thank all the donors, the SFSQ Parish who helped us facilitate and organize this activity and to all volunteers who helped us, in one way or another, made this activity possible. To all of you, MARAMING SALAMAT PO!”
MSCs in the Philippines are currently running several emergency response programmes, following the terrible damage caused by Super Typhoon Odette on December 16th. We at the Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart continue to offer our prayers and our support, and with the spirit of Christmas in our hearts, we send every blessing to our MSC brothers in the Philippines and the communities they serve there.
Click here to watch a video of the Share a Christmas Basket Project preparations.
Images via the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc. Facebook page.
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Dec 21, 2021
Super Typhoon Rai, known locally as Odette, hit the Philippines on December 16th, and has proved to be the largest storm of the year to date. Over 300,000 people were evacuated from their homes in anticipation of the typhoon, with 10,000 villages predicated to lie in its path.
Homes, businesses, farms, and livelihoods have been torn to shreds by powerful rain, and winds reaching up to 260 kph/160 mph, with gusts of up to 300 kph/185 mph. While millions have been affected, the full extent of the damage caused by Typhoon Odette is not yet known, as many lines of communication are still down and the immediate focus is on rescuing and caring for those in urgent need. As of Monday, December 20th, the national police service announced that at least 375 people had been killed, with 500 more injured and 56 missing. Trees and buildings have fallen, many areas are badly flooded, roofs have been ripped from houses, and survivors are in urgent need of food and clean drinking water.
“Please keep the MSC, FDNSC (Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart), MSC Sisters, and all of the people of the Philippines in your prayers,” wrote Fr Carl Tranter MSC, Irish Provincial Superior.
“The central and southern parts of the country have been badly hit by the very powerful typhoon Odette, which has caused massive destruction.
We are aware of significant damage across our parishes and the schools/clinics of our sisters on Mactan island and Cebu in the central Philippines, and in Surigao and Agusan in the south.
We stand in solidarity with our Chevalier family in the Philippines and with all the Filipino people.”
As opportunities for communication are minimal in the wake of the storm, we have yet to understand the full impact of the typhoon on our extended Sacred Heart family in the Philippines. The Irish Province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart have sent emergency funds to assist in the immediate aftermath of the storm, as MSC and FDNSC communities undertake the initial clean-up and search and rescue operations. We will continue to provide help as it is needed in the new year, and we ask that you please remember our Sacred Heart family in the Philippines in your prayers in the coming weeks, as they pick up the pieces of lives and livelihoods that have been demolished by this mighty force of nature.
Oct 28, 2021
We are delighted to be able to share these wonderful images from Tulang Diot in the Philippines, where the country’s MSC Mission Office, in conjunction with the MSC Mission Office Australia, facilitated the installation of new water tanks for the collection and storage of rainwater.
Tulang Diot is located in San Francisco, Camotes, where many local families struggle with poverty and hardship. The people of the region are hugely dependent on rainwater, with 90% of the area’s water source coming from the rain. 185 families in Tulang Diot will now be able to benefit from the installation of the water system, which will allow for easier access to safe, clean water for everyday use. With the coronavirus pandemic showing no signs of abating in the immediate future, the availability of clean, safe water and access to the best hygiene practices possible is truly vital, particularly in regions where local communities have very little.
The Facebook page for the MSC Missions Office in the Philippines posted pictures of the new water system, along with a message of gratitude. “We thank the MSC Mission Office and all the donors who have been so kind and generous to our mission to help the underprivileged communities in the country,” they wrote.
We echo their gratitude in our shared mission; please keep our MSC brothers and the communities they serve in the Philippines, and around the world, in your prayers.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MSC MINISTRY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Images via the Facebook page for the MSC Mission Office Philippines, Inc.
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