LDS Church Responds to Flooding in Philippines

Tropical storm Ketsana struck the Philippines on Saturday, 26 September 2009, triggering the heaviest rainfall in 40 years and causing significant flooding.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is providing food, water, clothing, hygiene items and other relief supplies, which are being purchased locally and distributed to those in the affected region. Local Church members and missionaries are assisting with clean-up efforts. Church members in nonaffected areas of the Philippines are mobilizing to donate clothing and bedding as Church leaders continue to monitor the situation.

Twelve members of the Church have been confirmed dead (eleven in the Morong Philippines District and one in the Valenzuela Philippines Stake), and 14 were missing as of the time this article was posted.  All missionaries serving in the Philippines were accounted for and were safe.  About 25 church meeting houses suffered water damage and will need repair.  Other meeting houses were used as refuge for the homeless.

Among residents of the affected area, at least 246 died in the flooding and 38 were missing, according to reports at press time. About 400,000 families — or nearly three million individuals — were impacted by the worst flooding metropolitan Manila has seen in more than 40 years. Ketsana hit the main Philippines island of Luzon. In a 24-hour period, Ketsana (called Ondoy in the Philippines) dumped more than what is normally the average monthly rainfall in the area. About 80 percent of the city of 15 million was flooded. Some areas had floodwaters as deep as 20 feet.   Humanitarian aid provided by the Church is given to all people, regardless of their faith.

Just a day after the torrential rain, members of the Church, many gathering after sacrament meetings, pooled their resources to donate food, clothes, blankets and towels to those displaced by the floods.   Many of those donating have houses that were also flooded, but knowing there were others whose houses were completely destroyed, they gathered what was left and shared them with those in greater need. Some left their flooded homes and cared for those sheltered in meetinghouses, or visited fellow members’ homes to check on their condition.  Outside Metro Manila, unaffected stakes and districts also sent help. In the northern province of Pangasinan, where typhoon Chan Hom made landfall last May 7, members — many still living in makeshift houses or staying with relatives — surprised their leaders by giving generous donations.

Deseret Church News, October 1, 2009

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