A BIG CHALLENGE Rebuilding Tacloban City as well as other areas in the Visayas devastated by Supertyphoon ‘‘Yolanda’’ provides a herculean task. These photographs taken by professional photographer Fung Yu using 360 VR (virtual reality) and contributed to INQUIRER.net capture the massive damage to homes and structures in hard-hit areas.
MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines urged the government to provide firm and emphatic leadership in “the journey of rebuilding our communities” in Leyte and Samar devastated by supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol and Cebu.
In a pastoral letter, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, also CBCP president, on Sunday said the past two calamities were severe tests on the communities’ faith and spirit. “Yet, even now, we believe we shall emerge from these situations with more awareness of the pattern of nature and hopefully, learn its lessons,” he said.
He urged the government to “strengthen the systems and institutions” that enable people to reduce the harmful effects of extreme weather disturbances and other forms of calamity.
Palma noted however that despite the swath of destruction brought by the earthquake and Yolanda, “signs of the indomitable spirit can be seen everywhere.”
“People from safer areas flocking to devastated areas bearing food, water, medicine and other relief goods to help the survivors. Homes and communities opening their gates and doors to welcome evacuees and care for those who have taken refuge,” he said.
The CBCP has called the massive effort to bring truckloads of relief goods as well as the numerous acts of kindness and charity “inspiring.”
“There may be less of good cheer this Christmas for many, but the Christmas spirit did come early this year,” it said.
In this photo is Jeffrey Escobar, who now sells noodles at P20 per pack to earn money in the “Yolanda” aftermath. Photo by Kristine Sabillo/INQUIRER.net
It acknowledged, among others, the “solicitous concern of various international communities who had been with us even before the typhoon struck.”
The CBCP made special mention of the foreign media “who brought to the world’s attention the plight of our countrymen. We also thank the government and foreign institutions who have sent aid and expressions of solidarity.”
“As the Year of Faith comes to a close, we have been called upon to exercise our faith by putting our trust in the Lord and reaching out to help each other…The culmination of the Year of Faith makes us trust in the God of love and mercy, the God who points to a tomorrow that is much better than today,” it added.
Earlier, the CBCP sent an undisclosed number of copies of the Bible and rosaries to Tacloban City and nearby provinces to fill the spiritual needs of typhoon victims.
For its part, the pro-life movement Rosaries for Life said in a statement that “through prayers somehow we will survive as a people and persevere in life.”
Rosaries, it also said, should be made available to calamity victims to “help them pray in this time of trials and tragedies.”
The Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate, meanwhile, distributed over 1,000 copies of the Bible for children as it also expressed hope these “would help young typhoon victims recover from the tragedy, strengthen their faith and improve as persons.'”
“With these, they will be consoled, challenged and gain hope to move on and get up from their terrible experience,” the ECBA added.
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