Caritas to build 25 new chapels in typhoon hit areas of the Philippines

New structures in Samar and Leyte to also serve as storm shelters.

A destroyed church in the town of Basey, Samar province

Manila:  Caritas Manila, the social service arm of the Manila archdiocese, is building 25 chapels in areas devastated by a super typhoon last year.

The chapels will cost an estimated US$22,743 each.

"Church restoration is very important because it symbolizes our unity with the Lord, and it is where people gather," Fr Anton Pascual, executive director of Caritas Manila, said in a radio interview on Friday.

Pascual said the chapels, to be built in the provinces of Samar and Leyte, are "not only for worship".

They will be sturdy structures built using thick steel and concrete, he said, and will double as evacuation centers in future times of emergency.

The funding for the chapels, which will measure 100 square meters each, comes from ticket sales for a concert organized by Caritas Manila in June.

Pascual said the Church's rehabilitation efforts in areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan in November last year are ongoing.

Total rehabilitation of the devastated areas will take three to five years, he added.

Aside from helping to rebuild structures, Pascual said Caritas Manila also provides "spiritual counseling" with the help of Catholic Relief Services, Caritas Internationalis, and local social action centers.

He added that Caritas Manila is also addressing the health needs and education of children.

The National Secretariat for Social Action of the bishops' conference last month received 9.7 million euros (US$12.5 million) from Caritas Internationalis to fund various programs for Haiyan survivors.

Caritas Internationalis earlier sent 5.6 million euros for relief operations immediately after the disaster.

Fr Edwin Gariguez, head of the social action secretariat, told ucanews.com that Palo archdiocese in Leyte is spearheading the construction of over 500 typhoon-resilient houses as part of the Church's rehabilitation program.

Last June, the social action secretariat received �3.5 million (US$5.6 million) in new pledges, with �2.4 million coming from the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, the official Catholic aid agency of England and Wales.

Source: ucanews.com