Caritas Switzerland, a Catholic social service agency, sent funding to the disaster-stricken areas in the Philippines following the massive destruction brought by Tropical Storm Sendong (Washi) last December 16, 2011 in Northern Mindanao and Central Visayas.

Thousands of families were left homeless after floods and landslides submerged and destroyed villages, and killed more than 1,000 people.

Caritas Switzerland immediately pooled together funding amounting to 166,050 Swiss Francs (Php 7.7 M) from various sources: Swiss Solidarity, City of Geneva, Caritas Luxembourg, Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Caritas Austria in order to send relief aid to the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, and Negros Oriental.

Relief packs containing 10 kg of rice, 1 kg mung beans, 1 kg dried fish, 6 cans sardines, 500 ml cooking oil, 1 kg sugar, 1 bar laundry soap, water container, mattress and blanket, will be distributed to 4,605 families in 17 communities in the most affected and least-served areas.

The Philippine-based NGO Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC) and its Regional Centers, Panday Bulig (PB) and Center for People’s Resources and Services (CPRS), will implement the Relief Delivery Operation.