The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Sunday said that 700 families in Laguna affected by the recent typhoons will benefit from a project initiated by the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) which will focus on building transitional shelters.

A report to the DFA from the Philippine Embassy in Berne, Switzerland disclosed that the SRC is negotiating for a land in Calamba, Laguna where it will construct the site, as part of its post-disaster effort to rehabilitate flooded areas in the Philippines.

“SRC will construct transitional shelters in Calamba, Laguna for 700 affected families. It is buying land in Laguna for the site construction. The funding for this project comes from the Swiss Government, particularly from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss Solidarity Foundation,” the report said.

The SRC is active on development programs such as health care and supports rescue operations on emergency situations, while the Swiss Solidarity Foundation is Switzerland’s humanitarian solidarity and fund- raising platform.

The foundation was able to raise almost four million Swiss Francs in October for the victims of tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng,” which devastated most parts of Northern, Central and Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila and nearby areas like Laguna in late September and early October, respectively.

The Swiss government donated 250,000 Swiss Francs or approximately P11million following the onslaught of the two destructive typhoons. In late 2004 when Real, Infanta, and General Nakar towns in Quezon were lashed by four successive typhoons, the Swiss government also donated 100,000 Swiss Francs for assistance to the typhoon victims, including rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.

Swiss non-governmental organizations, including the SRC, also pooled in 100,000 Swiss Francs for the procurement of food and non-food emergency items such as medicines and blankets. The Swiss government also gave humanitarian assistance to the country following the Southern Leyte landslide in 2006.

The Philippines and Switzerland enjoy good bilateral relations, which started on August 30, 1956. There are more than 60 Swiss companies operating in the country, most of which are in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, food, trade, distribution and foreign business consultancy.