New Beginnings For Tacloban (Proceeds from Record-Breaking WWW for Yolanda Victims)

NEW BEGINNINGS FOR TACLOBAN

Proceeds From Record-Breaking Worldwide Walk Fund Housing Resettlement and Job Development Projects in Leyte, Philippines

KAPATID NA 

EDUARDO V. MANALO

Maraming Salamat po!

Model House of the 1,000 units to be built in New Era, Leyte for Supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) victims

TACLOBAN City, Philippines (March 14, 2014) – The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), one of the fastest growing religious organizations in the world, announced its launch of a resettlement project that will build 1000 units of concrete homes for Typhoon Haiyan survivors. 

Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo visited the 7,413 acre land situated 11 miles from Tacloban City, the area considered as “ground zero” of the destruction brought by the strongest typhoon on record to hit land.  

  

Not only will this project provide housing for thousands of those left homeless by Typhoon Haiyan, but also a livelihood or means to earn a living for the survivors to help them get back on their feet. The INC will construct a garment factory, and cultivate sites for farming to grow rice, mushrooms, fruits and vegetables. Typhoon survivors who help in the construction of their own homes will also receive compensation for their work. Those who are not given homes, will be offered financial aid. 

Within the same day of the project’s announcement, hundreds of INC volunteers assisted in a “Lingap Sa Mamamayan” (Tagalog for “Aid For Humanity”) mission held on the Leyte National High School grounds. Approximately 100,000 relief bags were distributed, in addition to the medical and dental services rendered to the residents.

This is only the latest development in the INC’s ongoing efforts to provide relief for Haiyan’s victims. Immediately after the storm, the INC responded with various Lingap Sa Mamamayan missions in areas adversely affected across Leyte province.

On February 15th, members of the INC united in a World Wide Walk to raise a portion of the funding for this project. Breaking two Guinness World Records, the global relief effort included 85 sites throughout the Philippines and 55 more sites around the world – 34 in the U.S.; six in Europe; 10 in Australia/New Zealand; and five in Asia – involving a total 519,221 participants. In all sites, INC members walked with this tag line in mind, “We walk so they can stand.”

According to news reports, Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda, tore across the central Philippines on November 8, 2013 leaving more than 6,200 people dead and nearly 1,800 missing. The storm destroyed or damaged more than a million houses and displaced more than 4 million mostly poor villagers, approximately 8,000 of which are INC members throughout Leyte East, Leyte West and Samar.

The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) or Church Of Christ is a global church comprising of more than 5,500 local congregations in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide. Its Central Administration is in Quezon City, Philippines. The INC will celebrate its centennial on July 27, 2014.

TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORIES!