By Candlelight

Young people help repack relief items in Calbayog City,
 five hours away from heavily-damaged Tacloban. 

Days before aid began to come from Manila,
 CCT staff in Leyte were bringing in supplies from Calbayog 

which suffered almost no damage.   

Candlelight is often associated with images of romantic dinners.  But for residents of Region 8 --- those who live on the islands of Leyte and Samar --- candlelight now lights everything done after sunset. 

Power lines were toppled in the region, which was the hardest hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda, as well as in Regions 5, 6, 7, crippling businesses and the return to normal life.  According to authorities it will be months before electricity is fully restored in the regions, but the energy department has vowed to restore power in major cities by Christmas eve.   

In response to the need for light,  the Center for Community Transformation (CCT) Group of Ministries brings solar lamps to Yolanda-affected communities as part of its relief efforts  and long-term rehabilitation work. 

CCT has operations on the islands of Palawan, Panay, and Mindoro.  It was beginning to introduce its savings mobilization program in Tacloban, Leyte when the storm struck.

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Should you want to donate to Yolanda survivors, the following are CCT’s bank details:

               Bank :  Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company – Kamagong-Sampaloc, Makati Branch
               Bank Account Name :  Center for Community Transformation
               Peso Account Number :  501-3-501-90126-2
               US Dollar Account Number :  501-2-501-20008-0
               Swift Code :  MBTCPHMM

In the Philippines, please get in touch with Ms. Penny Lim at 0933-2618809 for queries or more information. 

If you are US-based, please visit philippines.causevox.com to make a donation.