700 Laguna Families Benefitting From Swiss Red Cross Shelter Plan
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday, November 1, 2009 said that 700 families in Laguna affected by the recent typhoons will benefit from a project initiated by the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) which will focus on building transitional shelters.
The Philippine Embassy in Berne, Switzerland, in a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila revealed that the SRC is transacting business for a land in Calamba, Laguna where it will construct the site, as part of its post-disaster effort to rehabilitate flooded areas in the Philippines.
Transitional shelters for 700 flood-affected families in Calamba. Laguna are underway. The SRC is buying land in Laguna for the site construction. The funding for this project comes from the Swiss Government, specifically from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss Solidarity Foundation, according to a report.
The SRC is active on development programs such as health care and supports rescue operations on emergency situations, while the Swiss Solidarity Foundation is Switzerland’s humanitarian solidarity and fund- raising platform.
An amount of almost four million Swiss Francs was raised by the Foundation in October for the victims of tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”
The Swiss government donated 250,000 Swiss Francs or approximately P11million following the onslaught of the two destructive typhoons.
Swiss non-governmental organizations, including the SRC, also pooled in 100,000 Swiss Francs for the procurement of food and non-food emergency items such as medicines and blankets.
The Philippines and Switzerland enjoy good bilateral relations, which started on August 30, 1956. There are more than 60 Swiss companies operating in the country, most of which are in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, food, trade, distribution and foreign business consultancy.
With reports from The Manila Bulletin Online
A native of Cavinti, Lucila C. Oblena spent all her working years as an educator, beginning as a classroom teacher in 1944, then a Guidance Counselor and retired as a school Principal. She is also the founder of CLOTA (Cavinti Laguna Overseas Teachers Association). She is the Editor of Tipakan.com (Cavinti Diaspora).
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