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One year after Yolanda: Bishop calls for more prayers, rehab efforts, disaster preparedness

Posted on November 10, 2014

DUMAGUETE CITY, Nov. 10 (PNA) -– A key leader of the Catholic Church in Dumaguete has expressing hopes of better rehabilitation efforts for the innumerable victims of the super typhoon Yolanda that flattened communities and devastated many areas in the Eastern and Central Visayas last year.

In a simple and solemn celebration of the first year anniversary of super typhoon Yolanda over the weekend, The Most Rev. Julito Cortes, bishop of the Diocese of Dumaguete, stressed five points to ponder and observe for the thousands of families who are still recovering from the tragedy.

Topping the list is to pray unceasingly for those who perished, numbering 6,340 dead and 1,785 others till missing.

Next in line is to pray for the survivors that despite the hardships they continue to face today, that they will not lose hope. In fact, Pope Francis’ visit to the Philippines early next year in his “Journey of Mercy and Compassion” centers on the victims of Yolanda and other disasters that struck the Philippines in recent years, such as the Magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Siquijor last year.

Bishop Cortes also stressed his third point, which is to affirm, commend and thank the people, the government, private institutions, civic society groups, foreign aid agencies, other countries and everyone else who immediately responded and sent aid to the devastated areas.

The fourth central theme of his homily during the mass for Yolanda victims is for the people to take care of the environment. He hoped that Yolanda was a learning experience for everyone to put premium on environmental protection and conservation.

Further, “government policies and decisions regarding development should bear in mind the precariousness of the state of our environment,” Bishop Cortes added.

The prelate went on to say that it is everybody’s responsibility to cooperate and support disaster preparedness programs undertaken by government as well as similar initiatives by civic organizations as well as the Church.

Finally, his last point in remembering the Yolanda victims and survivors came across as a reminder that life is fleeting and as such, people must be prepared for the time when they have to leave this earthly existence.

Cortes encouraged the people to live according to God’s will and in obedience to His laws, showing love, kindness, generosity, compassion and living in truth and in hope.

In ending his homily, he expressed a desire that a couple who lost all four of their children in Tacloban City be among those allowed to have an audience with Pope Francis in January 2015.

Bishop Cortes recounted that last August, while on a visit in Tacloban with two nuns, they met the couple, Rommel and Elena Plaza, at a temporary shelter of the UN Refugee Agency.

After praying with them, the couple recounted their harrowing experience when Yolanda struck on November 8, 2014.

Their four children, Arjel Bituin, (7), Angel Mae (5), Rehana Mae (2) and Roselyn Mae (1), were all swept by the storm surge and not one of them survived.

But what caught the bishop’s attention was the apparent resilience and hope of this couple.

The wife, Elena, is five months pregnant which Bishop Cortes describes as a symbol of renewed existence, hope, and even peace despite the tears that flowed as they told their sad story.

Elena will be giving birth in January, and Bishop Cortes dreams of the newborn to be held in the arms of Pope Francis when he comes visiting this ravaged parts of the country. (PNA)

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