The Catholic Church’s social action arm said that it is prepared to assist communities that will be affected by Super Typhoon “Pepito.”
“Caritas Philippines is ready to extend our hands to those in need,” said its president, Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo.
“Our emergency response mechanisms are activated and our diocesan networks are ready,” he said.
The country’s state weather bureau said the powerful storm has further intensified into a super typhoon on Saturday.
PAGASA said Pepito is “more likely” to make landfall in Catanduanes on Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, Nov. 17.
However, the agency did not rule out landfall in other provinces within the storm’s cone of probability, including Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Quezon, and Aurora.
The national caritas urged the faithful to prioritize safety and prepare for the super typhoon’s potential impact.
“Together, we can bring comfort, hope and strength to one another. Let’s go all out… All hands on board,” Bagaforo said.
Through its flagship solidarity program, “Alay Kapwa” (AK), Caritas is mobilizing resources to support emergency preparedness efforts.
The program has served as the Church’s disaster response and poverty alleviation initiative for over 50 years.
The bishop also said that the diocesan social action centers in the potentially affected areas are coordinating with local government units for disaster preparedness and response.
“We call on our Alay Kapwa partners and donors to help us prepare for the humanitarian needs of communities in Pepito’s projected path,” he said.
