Benedictine Sisters respond to Philippines typhoon disaster

(Vatican Radio) Benedictine sisters in the Philippines have set up a relief operations center in Manila to get food, clothing, medicines and other much needed supplies to those areas hardest hit by last week’s deadly Typhoon Haiyan . Sr. Celine Saplala of St. Scholastica College in Manila manages the center. She says the Benedictine sisters have two communities in Tacloban and 1 in Ormac where they run schools and a hospital. These were among those areas most devastated by the typhoon.
One week on from the massive storm, she says the lack of electricity, petrol and communications continues to seriously affect their ability to get relief to those who need it most. One plane left Manila today with medical supplies for Tacloban and will return with a number of elderly sisters there who are in need of continuous medical care.
In this interview with Tracey McClure, Sr. Celine calls Pope Francis her “hero” and praised the efforts being made all over the world to help her country. She outlines the progress of relief operations and begins by explaining how the Benedictine sisters have been working for many years to lift up the poor and marginalized through education, formation and healthcare.
Listen to Tracey McClure’s extended interview with Sr. Celine Saplala: