Philippines | Development and Peace

Philippines

The Pope Francis Village school in the Philippines nears completion

June 22, 2016
by 
Kelly Di Domenico, Communications Officer

The local elementary school in the community of Diit is a beehive of activity these days. Diit is the community near the city of Tacloban, where Development and Peace and several of its partners are working together to build a resettlement site called the Pope Francis Village that will provide a new beginning for 550 families affected by Typhoon Haiyan. 

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Philippines: Community organizing key to building back better

Development and Peace understands the importance of strong communities. When communities are united, cohesive and organized, they have to power to improve their living conditions and to be more resilient in the face of natural disasters.

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Breaking ground on the Pope Francis Village

It is hard to imagine that a hilly piece of land on the outskirts of the seaside city of Tacloban in the Philippines will soon be transformed into a bustling village with a population of about 3,000 people. But this is exactly what will take place over the next few months as construction of the Pope Francis Village begins. 

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Philippines: A new start with a new home

Mr. Sopriano Barsana, a retired policeman on the island of Samar in the Philippines, stands in front of his house – or what used to be his house. All that remains is one standing beam and a concrete floor littered with pieces of rusted tin, chunks of cement bricks in various stages of disintegration and brambles of metal wire.

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Philippines: It takes a village to rebuild a community

The tiny community of Baranguay 86 in the city of Tacloban is barely visible. Hidden behind an overgrowth of bush, a small muddy path leads to a cluster of dwellings pieced together like a patchwork quilt. The community, like most in the city of Tacloban, was severely hit by Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda). As houses were flattened within seconds by the ferocity of the storm, those who had not taken shelter in evacuation centres clung to coconut trees, praying to not be swept away by the three metre tidal waves and 300 km winds.

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A race to the end in the Philippines!

September 8, 2014
by 
Fran Lucas, 2nd Vice-President of the Catholic Women’s League

Just when I thought my Development and Peace Amazing Race had become a bit routine we hit a road block!

A full schedule and a full heart in the Philippines

August 29, 2014
by 
Pat Kennedy, President of Development and Peace

After a long flight from Canada, our Development and Peace delegation arrived in Manila around midnight, Saturday, August 15, 2014.  We were tired but excited to begin our visit with our partners in the Philippines, particularly those responding to Typhoon Haiyan. It was such a pleasure to meet the other members of the delegation that I would be travelling with over the next 10 days. I was so impressed with the commitment of everyone in the group, all giving of their time to share in this visit.

Making sure no one is forgotten in the response to Typhoon Haiyan

August 28, 2014
by 
Kelly Di Domenico, Communications Officer

The fierceness of Typhoon Haiyan can be easily seen from the road that winds along the coast of Eastern Samar (Philippines). Every few hundred metres, out of the billowing coconut trees, another town of ramshackle houses appears, the tarps that serve as roofs flapping in the wind. With so much devastation around, it is easy to lose sight of what is beyond the palm trees.

Two days of emotions in the Philippines

August 22, 2014
by 
Arthur Peters, Executive Director, ShareLife Toronto

Arthur Peters is the Executive Director of ShareLife of the Archdiocese of Toronto. He is part of a delegation visiting Development and Peace projects in response to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve thought alot about the people who were on the Malaysian airliner that was shot down last month. The passengers were likely eating a meal, watching a movie, or speaking with one another, and in an instant it was all over.

A spirit that can’t be broken, even after a typhoon

August 20, 2014
by 
Kelly Di Domenico

It’s been nine months since Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) barrelled through the Philippines, yet evidence of its gale force winds and crushing waves are still very visible all around the city of Tacloban, one of the worst-hit areas. Although debris has been cleared from the roads, at times it feels as if it has simply been pushed to the side. Gnarled metal reaches out towards the sky, surrounded by collapsed walls. Nearly every structure has some part of it that is bent, shattered, twisted or simply missing.