Typhoon Kristine (international name Cyclone Tram) brought widespread flooding and destruction to the Bicol Region, hitting hardest Naga City and the province of Camarines Sur at large. Caritas Caceres, the Social Action arm of the Archdiocese of Caceres, swiftly mobilized humanitarian relief operations to assist families affected by the severe weather. The said organization launched a coordinated response to ensure affected families received essential relief supplies. Volunteers, parish leaders, local organizations, and local government units collaborated with Caritas Caceres, Caritas Manila and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to distribute food, drinking water and hygiene kits to evacuees and displaced families in the hardest-hit areas of Nabua, Baao, Nabua, Gainza, and Naga City. In addition, the Adventist Disaster Relief Assistance (ADRA) assessed the damage brought by the said typhoon and initiated sustainable rehabilitation efforts to help affected families rebuild their homes and livelihoods.
The Call to Help Others
As the flood water began to rise rapidly, 18 parishes, the Holy Rosary Major Seminary and the Ateneo de Naga University gym became evacuation centers to displaced families. Emergency response was conducted to thirty-three (33) parishes of the Archdiocese, providing food packs to 4,563 families (22, 815 individuals). “Our mission is to be there for those most in need. We stand with families as they rebuild, providing not only material aid but also hope and a message of resilience,” said Rev. Fr. Marc DP. Real, Executive Director of Caritas-Caceres (Naga), Inc. “We have just embarked on the first phase of our humanitarian operations, emergency quick response, and we are still facing the challenges of the rehabilitation phase: repairing houses and livelihood assistance. Even during this phase, there is still need to provide for the basic needs, such as food and drinking water."
Other volunteers who made and are making the relief operations possible include many individual donors, the Daughters of Mary sisters, servant leaders of the Youth Servant Leadership and Education Program (YSLEP), and members of the Self Help Group (SHEG). Local parish networks consisting of both the Parish Disaster REsponse (PaDRe) teams and the Social Services Committees were specifically helpful in providing Caritas Caceres with situational reports in their respective parishes and communities.
Caceres Archbishop Alarcon expressed his gratitude to all who contributed to the relief efforts. "In times of great adversity, it is the strength of our unity and faith that will bring us through. Let us continue to stand together in prayer and action, offering comfort and support to our brothers and sisters in need," he said.