Quake victims cry out

A MAN walks past the ruins of the viewing deck of the Chocolate Hills in Carmen town in Bohol after the killer 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the province in October. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The victims of last year’s powerful earthquake in Bohol feel neglected as attention and aid are focused on typhoon-ravaged Central Visayas.

“We feel forgotten here in Bohol,” said Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website.

Medroso said many survivors of the magnitude-7.2 earthquake of Oct. 15 were still in dire need of help, especially from the government.

He was quick to add, however, that the residents were recovering and their faith had become stronger.

“That means the earthquake was a means of evangelization for us, very strong,” he said. “We are in the stage of rebuilding. Of course, this is the spirit of the people here who were discouraged because of the earthquake.”

Medroso renewed his appeal for aid to rebuild several parish churches.

“To those who have faith and have seen the importance of the churches for our celebration of the Eucharist, we are appealing to you to help us rebuild Bohol,” he said.

Medroso said restoring the churches would give hope to the victims and spur the province to rise again.

And “so that … we can also help other people by spreading the Good News,” he said.

Medroso said the rebuilding of damaged churches, especially those considered to be cultural heritage, had started.

He said new alternate churches, smaller but decent, would also be built since it would take time to rebuild the old ones. Tina G. Santos

 
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