A week after appealing for aid for Pakistan flood victims, Caritas Filipinas is yet to receive donations from Philippine dioceses, says a Caritas official.

"We need to strategize how to drum up appeal," said Father Edwin Gariguez, executive secretary of the bishop’s conference’s social action secretariat that administers Caritas Filipinas.

Filipinos seem unaware of what is going on in Pakistan, he said. "There’s not much media exposure.”

He is, however, optimistic that help will soon come. “We [Caritas] have our own donation, but we need to raise more."

Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Manila, who heads Caritas Filipinas, on Thursday reiterated his appeal to Filipinos to donate money and goods for people affected by the floods.

“The immense destruction and suffering faced by our brethren in Pakistan is an occasion for Christian love and compassion to shine through,” he said in a letter to Philippine dioceses.

“We need your support so that we can save more lives in Pakistan."

He said Caritas Filipinas has also appealed for aid from charitable institutions.

Anila Gil of Caritas Pakistan, speaking over Church-run Radio Veritas 846,  reported worsening situations in evacuation centers.

“In some areas, the water is not going down,” Gil said in a telephone interview on Thursday.

Caritas Internationalis earlier appealed for US$5.5 million to help Pakistan’s flood victims as the "situation grows increasingly desperate."

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