Kelompok aksi sosial Gereja Katolik di Filipina meminta dukungan dari organisasi mitra di seluruh dunia untuk membantu rehabilitasi komunitas yang terkena dampak gempa.
Pastor Edwin Gariguez, kepala Caritas Filipina, mengatakan organisasinya masih dalam “tahap darurat” untuk memberi bantuan kemanusiaan.“
[Tapi] kami sekarang mengumpulkan dukungan dan sumber daya untuk pemulihan dan rehabilitasi,” kata imam itu.
Rentetan gempa bumi yang kuat melanda beberapa daerah di wilayah Mindanao, Filipina selatan pada bulan Oktober, yang berdampak pada sekitar 260.000 orang, banyak dari mereka kehilangan tempat tinggal.
Pada 12 November, pihak berwenang mengatakan 22 orang tewas dan sekitar 109.000 lainnya telah mengungsi. Setidaknya 36.000 rumah dan sekitar 1.400 sekolah telah rusak.
Departemen Kesejahteraan Sosial dan Pembangunan pemerintah telah mendistribusikan makanan dan barang bantuan senilai US$ 765.000 kepada keluarga yang terkena dampak.
Pastor Gariguez mengatakan terlepas dari program perumahan bagi mereka yang rumahnya hancur total, Caritas Filipina berencana untuk memberikan “bantuan psikososial dan mata pencaharian” kepada masyarakat.
Kardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, uskup agung Manila dan kepala Caritas Internationalis, meminta umat beriman untuk mendukung kebutuhan mereka yang terkena dampak gempa.
“Sekarang rekonstruksi telah dimulai, tidak hanya bangunan dan sekolah tetapi kehidupan. Dukungan kita akan memberikan semangat kepada sesama warga Filipina yang terkena dampak gempa bumi,” kata kardinal.
Uskup Agung Romulo Valles dari Davao, ketua konferensi uskup Katolik, mengatakan tanggapan kemanusiaan harus difokuskan pada orang-orang yang “kurang terlayani.”
Dia mengatakan banyak keluarga masih tinggal di tempat penampungan sementara di dekat rumah mereka yang rusak dan menerima “sangat sedikit perhatian.”
“Mereka kurang terlayani karena mereka tidak berada di pusat-pusat evakuasi besar yang sangat terlihat,” kata prelatus itu.
Father Edwin Gariguez, head of Caritas Philippines, said his organization is still in the “emergency phase” of its humanitarian response.
“[But] we are now gathering support and resources for recovery and rehabilitation,” said the priest.
A series of strong earthquakes hit several areas in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao in October, affecting about 260,000 people, many of whom lost their homes.
As of Nov. 12, authorities said 22 people died and about 109,000 others have been displaced. At least 36,000 houses and about 1,400 schools have been damaged.
The government’s Department of Social Welfare and Development has already distributed about US$765,000 worth of food and relief goods to affected families.
Father Gariguez said apart from a housing program for those whose houses were totally destroyed, Caritas Philippines plans to provide “psychosocial and livelihood support” to the communities.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila and head of Caritas Internationalis, called on the faithful to support the needs of those affected by the earthquake.
“Now that reconstruction has begun, not only the structures and schools but of life, our support will give our fellow Filipinos affected by the earthquake the courage,” said the cardinal.
Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, president of the Catholic bishops’ conference, said humanitarian responses has to focus on people “who are less served.”
He said many families still stay in makeshift shelters near their damaged homes and received “very little attention.”
“They are less served because they are not in the very visible big evacuation centers,” said the prelate.
