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In the wake of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, also known as Trami, which struck the northeastern Philippines in late October, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has stepped forward to assist those affected. The storm has caused significant damage, prompting the church to provide food, water, clothing, temporary shelter, and essential supplies to aid recovery efforts.
The country's disaster operations agency reports that the combined death toll from Kristine and Super Typhoon Leon has reached 150. Additionally, 115 people have been injured and 29 remain missing. The storms brought torrential rains leading to severe flooding across multiple regions in Luzon and parts of the Visayas.
The impact has been widespread with over 4.2 million people affected in Luzon provinces alone. This translates to nearly one million families dealing with losses estimated at over PHP 5 billion (approximately US$85.67 million) in agriculture and infrastructure. Nearly 187,000 individuals required rescue by disaster response teams and uniformed personnel.
To bolster government relief efforts, the Church's humanitarian and emergency response program has contributed more than PHP 17.5 million (US$300,000) worth of food and water kits, hygiene supplies, survival kits, and temporary shelter for those impacted by the storm. So far, over 16,100 families have received these relief kits with more aid expected.
Furthermore, 31 Latter-day Saint meetinghouses have opened their doors as temporary shelters for nearly 1,000 individuals displaced by the storm. In addition to providing emergency kits through these shelters, the Church activated its Bishop's Order System to process over 500 orders for further relief goods.
Members of the church community including hundreds of Latter-day Saints and missionaries have actively participated in repacking and distributing supplies while assisting in rescue operations amid intense flooding conditions.
Embracing the Filipino tradition of Bayanihan—a spirit of communal cooperation—Latter-day Saints are contributing their time and resources towards helping neighbors rebuild after this natural disaster.
