'Pray to God in good times and bad'
Pray to God in good times and bad.
This was the call of Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo as Ilonggos grapple with the loss of lives, destruction of property and sense of helplessness brought by the worst flooding experienced in Western Visayas.
In a statement, Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, noted that the damage to Iloilo was "unprecedented and unexpected."
"Shock, surprise and confusion can be traced in the faces of the people wondering how and where they will begin to put order," he said.
But the prelate said that along with the desolate stories were tales of heroism and acts of kindness to victims.
He appealed for prayers and help for the victims as he loaded the outpouring of help and donations of food, clothes and clothes poured in from various sectors. "Food, medicine, materials for rehabilitation are gratefully welcomed. Communal action is at work. God bless them."
The prelate said the people should continue praying amid the calamity. "We pray to God against typhoons and other destructive events, like fires and earthquakes. But when the same occur we also pray for God for help. In good times and bad we turn to God," said Lagdameo.
But the prelate scored the US trip of President Macapagal-Arroyo and her party amid the calamity.
"In the face of of the exaggerated and expensive trip of more than 60 of our national leadership to the United States for more than a week, how can we talk of austerity and frugality in spending the people's taxes, knowing for whom they must be urgently applied in times of great calamity," said Lagdameo.
The Archdiocese of Jaro has initiated a campaign for donation for the storm victims. Msgr. Meliton Oso, executive director of the Jaro Archdiocese Social Action Center (JASAC), said donations can be channeled to social action centers of parishes or to the Jaro Cathedral.