Pope Francis donates 100,000 euros for Odette relief efforts

Pope Francis has pledged 100,000 euros (around PHP5 million) to aid relief efforts in the Philippines following the devastation caused by Typhoon Odette.

The funds, allocated through the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Apostolic Nunciature in the Philippines, are intended for the rehabilitation of damaged homes and churches in severely affected provinces.

Typhoon Odette, which hit in December, resulted in 406 deaths, 65 missing persons, and 1,265 injured individuals, significantly impacting provinces including Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Cebu, and Palawan, affecting over 2.3 million families across 11 regions.

The gesture is an expression of the Pope's solidarity and spiritual closeness with the Filipino people affected by the typhoon.

Caritas Manila has distributed up to PHP20 million in cash assistance to ten severely damaged dioceses, including those in Surigao, Bohol, Cebu, Negros provinces, Palawan, and Cagayan De Oro.