As of September, Caritas Manila, along with Project Ugnayan, has distributed P1.7 billion worth of assistance to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Project Ugnayan is a fund-raising initiative led by the country’s leading corporations and business families with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation headed by Ayala Corp. president and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala.Project Ugnayan tapped the vast network of parishes and volunteers under Caritas Manila to distribute gift vouchers to poor communities in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna that could be redeemed in nearby groceries. Beneficiaries numbered 1,909,153 families or 9,611,835 individuals.

Caritas Manila also gave out an additional P318 million worth of food and nonfood items to those classified under “poorest families, vulnerable groups, service front-liners, poor dioceses and individuals in crisis.”

Last March, just three days after the lockdown, Caritas Manila launched its Contra COVID-19 program that involved the immediate distribution of 143,624 Manna food bags, 16,893 Ligtas COVID Kits, assorted food and nonfood items as well as gift vouchers in Metro Manila and surrounding dioceses.

“COVID-19 is not only a health crisis but also a grave economic concern that affects everyone,” said Caritas Manila executive director Fr. Anton CT Pascual.

Caritas Manila continues to address rising hunger and poverty by giving assistance to displaced public utility drivers.

Those wishing to help may donate through the following banks: Peso savings account name: Caritas Manila, Inc., BDO 000-5600-45905; BPI 3063-5357-01; and Metrobank 175-3-17506954-3. For dollar deposits, BPI savings account 3064-0033-55 or USHARE Unionbank savings account 3064-0033. Donations are also accepted via Paypal and in Cebuana Lhuillier branches.

Tel. 85620020 -25; facebook.com/OfficialCaritasManila; caritasmanila.org.ph