CRS, LDS Charities Build Temporary Housing in CDO

Shelter is a basic human need.  After typhoon Sendong wreaked havoc in the lives of families in CDO last December, LDS Charities partnered with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to provide temporary shelters to families in evacuation centers to speed up the process of putting their lives back to normal.

In a signing of the memorandum of agreement February of this year, both charity organizations pledged to equally fund 50 percent of the cost of shelters to be built.  The intention is to bring victims out from evacuation centers and transfer them to temporary shelters while waiting for permanent houses to be done, since these usually take a longer period of time to be finished compared to temporary shelters which can be built in only four to five days.

Typical of the shelters are the walls made of interwoven bamboo slats called amakan.  Each unit has a floor space of 16 square meters capped off by a moderately tilted roof made of galvanized iron sheets.  Air circulation is provided on the upper walls as well as two open windows on the side.  Cooking and toilet facilities are in a common area for every cluster of ten housing units.

Houses were gradually turned over to their beneficiaries.  In one of its recent turnover ceremonies held last July 18 in Amakan II, located at the tennis court of Barangay Macasandig, Elizabeth Truman of CRS expressed appreciation for the partnership and how this coordinated effort has blessed the lives of people in CDO.

Joe Curry, country representative for CRS in the Philippines said, “After seven months, thousands of people continue to live in tents and evacuation centers in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City.  They need durable and safe shelter while they wait for permanent housing which may take one or more years. The transitional shelters will give them a dignified place to live and help them restart their lives.  CRS is thrilled to be working with LDS Charities in northern Mindanao to provide dignified shelter to those families displaced by Typhoon Sendong.  Both of our agencies have a shared faith in God to serve the poorest and those affected by disaster.”

Sunstar CDO featured the partnership in a story published March 13, 2012:

THE Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has teamed up with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to provide transitional houses to victims of Tropical Storm Sendong in Cagayan de Oro.  Representatives of the groups signed a memorandum of agreement last week and agreed to pledge a hefty amount of $350,000 for the construction of decent temporary houses.

Joe Curry, country representative of CRS’ Philippine Program, said most of the needs of the survivors like permanent shelters, food and clothing were already addressed by the government and other non-government organizations.  He said what they lack now is  dignified and convenient temporary shelters where they can stay while waiting for their permanent houses to finish.

“We decided to provide them with transitional houses made of light materials in a 16 square meter land that will be constructed in three to four days for them to live conveniently,” Curry said.  He said those presently living in evacuation centers will be prioritized for the temporary shelters.

Benson Misalucha, area welfare services manager of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the CRS will manage the project while they will provide for the materials and manpower.   “We target 400 families to benefit from the project, which will be identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development,” he said. 

Another story featured at www.ksl.com highlighted the efforts of Catholic Relief Services and LDS Charities in helping Haitians rebuild their country offering a glimmer of hope despite the devastation brought about by the 2010 earthquake.  As of May 26 this year, CRS has helped turn recycled blocks, rubble left from the earthquake, into the foundation of 5,000 homes.  At Canaan in Haiti, home to 40,000 refugees, the LDS Church is building hundreds of homes for members who lost everything in the earthquake.  Construction jobs were also provided at a time when unemployment rate went higher than it was before the earthquake.

Latter-day Saint Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is an application of the admonition of Jesus Christ to help others in need.

LDS Charities sponsors relief and development projects in 167 countries. This assistance is rendered without regard to race, religious affiliation, or nationality and is based on the core principles of personal responsibility, community support, self–reliance, and sustainability. 

Humanitarian services include emergency response to natural disasters. It may also be part of a longer-term effort to meet serious and more entrenched human needs, such as the need to alleviate disease.

Within hours of a disaster, the Church works with local government officials and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) to determine what supplies and food are needed. Materials are then immediately sent to the area and distributed with the help of Mormon Helping Hands volunteers.

After urgent needs are met, the Church is available with help for long-term needs of the community. The Church’s approach is to help people become self-reliant by teaching skills and providing resources for a self-sustained life.

The assistance rendered is made possible by generous donations of cash and other resources from members and other faith-based organizations and individuals.   One hundred percent of the donations given to the Church’s humanitarian services are used for relief efforts. The Church absorbs its own overhead costs.

During the last four years, over two million man–days of labor were contributed by volunteers in support of welfare initiatives in the Philippines.  

The humanitarian services arm of the Church sponsors ongoing projects to help people become more self-reliant. Initiatives include neonatal resuscitation training, potable water projects, wheelchair training, vision care and other initiatives.