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AN APPEAL TO THE DONOR COMMUNITY TO HELP VICTIMS OF TROPICAL STORMS “ONDOY” AND “PEPENG”, AND ERADICATE THE REVOLTING SIGHT OF POVERTY IN THE PHILIPPINES

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11

The poor will remain poor unless their basic need for a decent, durable housing is addressed. They must be removed from shanties which have been their place of abode for decades. The ugly sight of poverty showed its face in the recent calamities of colossal proportion. This disaster did not just deprive the poverty-stricken of a shelter; but, very harshly - - their very own lives - - and in some cases - -the lives of their loved ones.

Typhoon Ondoy left approximately 246 casualties, leaving 567,000 people in Metro Manila and Central Luzon crowded in evacuation centers. A week after, a stronger typhoon (“Pepeng”) hit Northern Luzon and left nearly 400 casualties, affecting more than 3 million individuals. Damage to infrastructure and agriculture for both typhoons is estimated close to P19 billion pesos or US$408 million 1. The potential of an epidemic of serious proportions due to unsanitary conditions (inadequate or lack of toilet) in these areas, evacuation centers included, was a nightmare. The occurrence of leptospirosis, an infectious disease caused by exposure to floods contaminated by animal urine, has caused the death of quite a number.

TSPI, now on its 28th year of operation, whose mission is to help eradicate poverty in the Philippines, is in the midst of this calamity. Latest reports show that 56, 000 of its 500,000 client-poor were gravely hit by this disaster. In order to have a significant and meaningful impact that would provide urgent relief and eventually deliver them from the bondage of poverty, TSPI has launched a campaign to raise donor funds. Since September 28, 2009, TSPI launched the immediate distribution of relief goods. TSPI seeks support partners and donors who are willing to share in this continuing campaign to raise funds to build up long-term solutions to deliver the poor out of poverty. TSPI’s target for this fund raising program is summarized as follows:

 
Particulars Relief Goods House Repairs New House Total Funds Req’rd in Php Total Funds in US$ equiv.
No. of clients 56,000 33,600 22,400    
Budget/Client P 1,000.00 P40,000.00 P80,000.00    
Total Funds P 56,000,000 P 1,344,000,000 P 1,792,000,000 P3,192,000,000 US$66,500,000.00
Fund Sharing:          
-TSPI: 20% P11,200,000.00 P268,800,000.00 P358,400,000.00 P638,400,000.00 US$13,300,000.00
-Donors: 80% P44,800,000.00 P1,075,200,000.00 P1,433,600,000.00 P2,553,600,000 US$53,200,000.00
Cost Per Cap. US$20.83 US$833.33 US$1,667 P57,000.00 US$1,187.50

In this time of tragedy that befell these poor family-clients of TSPI, we have taken this major initiative to step up and broaden TSPI’s role, not only as a Microfinance-NGO, but more importantly, as a social development institution. TSPI, a strong advocate of a wholistic approach to help eradicate poverty, seeks partners who could join us in sharing this responsibility.

  

1 Death toll from typhoon “Pepeng” climbs to 375 in RP. (2009, October 14).Retrieved October 22, 2009, from Philstar.com: Read More...