(ANS - Manila) - Two years ago, the typhoon "Haiyan" devastated entire cities in the Philippines. The global emergency caused by the devastation, with winds that reached 300 km per hour, led to global solidarity and right away the Salesian Family joined the efforts for relief. Today, the results of the reconstruction, thanks to the generosity of all the Salesian environments, are a reality.

Figures of that tragedy are still chilling. Within hours, the typhoon caused nearly 6,500 dead and 1,000 missing. Its consequences have affected 16 million people and over a million homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

From the beginning the Salesian centres in Manila and Cebu were designated as collection points for relief supplies and pre-packaged food, as well as centres for gathering volunteers and the distribution of emergency aid. The Salesian buildings were chosen by the authorities as Official Assistance Centres and in the early days they distributed over 3,000 emergency kits.

Among those affected by the typhoon there were more than 5 million children. Nearly a third of them were at risk of malnutrition, being displaced from their homes or even orphaned.

Faced with the scale of destruction, the Salesians, with the help of students, teachers, relatives and members of the Salesian Family of the Philippines, reached over 200,000 people in the first phase of the emergency (primarily to distribute food, medicine, warm clothes and tarpaulins to set up emergency tents for shelter).

A second phase consisted of continuing to give aid and initiating projects to rebuild or renovate houses. After a year and a half, thanks to organizations linked to the Salesians, the roofs of more than 1,300 homes have already been repaired

The third phase, developed over the past year, includes the completion of the work of rebuilding and the construction of new infrastructure, as well as maintaining aid to the affected families by providing them with new means of livelihood.

According to the Salesians, "much remains to be done for the people to regain a normal way of life. After the material renovation, now we are rebuilding their lives, especially those of young people, through education projects and vocational training that will open doors to the future."

Published 06/11/2015