Isolated rains came after Oratio Imperata

CEBU, Philippines - The Visayas region experienced isolated rainshowers during the issuance of a special prayer or an “Oratio Imperata” for El Niño yesterday morning.

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal issued the Oratio Imperata yesterday to be recited at prayer after the communion during every Mass.

Earlier, Vidal appealed to the public to include in their daily prayers the farmer’s longing for rains especially in areas affected by drought.

“Kita mo na? That is because you prayed,” said Vidal, who explained that the brief rain yesterday was a sign that the Lord is listening.

All parishes in the Archdiocese of Cebu are mandated to recite this special prayer:

Lord God, in you we live and move and have our being. Help us in our present time of trouble, Send us rain we need and protect us from disaster and teach us to seek your lasting help on the way to eternal life. This, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Senior Santo Niño de Cebu, have mercy on us! Our lady of Guadalupe de Cebu, pray for us! Blessed Pedro Calungsod, pray for us!

On certain occasions such as Sunday Masses or Friday Novenas, the archdiocese suggests that the old Gozos of the Sto. Niño in times of drought be sung.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), however, said that the volume of rain that poured into Cebu yesterday is not enough to nurture crops and has not even given any significant contribution to its water reservoirs.

Evangeline Tolentino, PAGASA weather specialist, said that yesterday’s precipitation rate did not even reach one millimeter per hour.

Since the start of the year, the total volume of rain measured by PAGASA is only 95.7 mm per hour. The total rain fall last January was 80.9 mm per hour while in February, the total rain fall is only 14.8 mm per hour.

Tolentino said that the normal rainfall every January is at 107.8 mm per hour while for February, rainfall should reach 72.8 per hour.

PAGASA reiterated its call to the public to conserve water, saying the public should take precautionary measures against the impact of El Niño.

Meanwhile, Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) senatorial candidate former Senator Vicente C. Sotto III proposed the construction of desalination plants in the country as a solution to mitigate the adverse effects of El Niño.

Sotto came up with this proposal during his campaign sorties in Region II, where most of the provinces are seriously affected by the dry spell brought by the El Nino phenomenon.

Sotto pointed out that the El Niño phenomenon causes more droughts and worsens the lack of fresh water due to climate change. This could be lessened by harnessing the potential of fresh water from the sea through desalination.       

 "Middle Eastern countries and lately, Australia, have set their hopes on desalination these past many years and we cannot sit idly by while other countries solve their water problems by just tapping on sea water,” Sotto observed.

Sotto called on the Department of Science and Technology and the National Water Resources Board to consider the establishment of desalination plants in selected coastal towns and villages to increase water supply especially in Metro Manila and Luzon. – Jessica R. Pareja/LPM   (FREEMAN NEWS)