Cagayan's archbishop thanks Cebuanos

CEBU, Philippines - Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Tony Ledesma made an effort to come to Cebu to personally thank the Cebuanos for extending assistance to his flock after the devastation brought by typhoon Sendong.

Through a slideshow presented before 100 individuals from religious groups and non-government organizations in Cebu, Ledesma showed the extent of the damage in the different parts of Cagayan.

Through the slideshow at a gathering at the Saint Francis Chapel of the Sacred Heart Parish last Wednesday night, people saw how victims in Cagayan try to rebuild their lives through the assistance, in cash and in kind, extended to them.

Ledesma said the victims are now recovering from last December’s tragedy although they still need “self-empowerment” which can be achieved in part by “psychosocial counseling.”

“Kay pananglitan karon mahadlok pa sila sa bisan gamay na uwan kay para nila basin mabalik na sad ang dako na baha,” the archbishop said. (Right now they are afraid of even the lightest of rains, fearing another flooding.)

The counseling is also needed to make the victim recover from the nightmare of losing their loved ones, especially their children. Physicians are counseling some men who until now could not speak because of the trauma.

Of the 200,000 to 300,000 people affected by the typhoon in CDO, around 6,000 of them were left homeless and are still staying at evacuation centers, Ledesma said. They are now starting to rebuild their houses but Ledesma said they still appeal for financial assistance to be able to construct more houses to accommodate all the victims whose houses were washed away by the flood.

“But dili lang physical relocation. Kinahanglan pa magmugna ug mga komunidad,” he said. (This is not just about relocating them, it’s about rebuilding communities.)

Ledesma further said that they still accept donations as they also plan to hand out livelihood materials for the victims.

“Kasagaran nila nangawad-an ug mga equipment para sa panginabuhi like sewing machines, carpenters’ tools, so we need money to purchase these materials,” the archbishop said. (Many of them lost their tools for their means of living.)

The aftermath of the tragedy made Ledesma think that each municipality nationwide should organize a local disaster preparedness committee to prevent casualties not just during typhoon but also including earthquake.

CDO was also affected by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that strongly hit Negros Oriental and Cebu last Monday.

When asked for his opinion, Ledesma said the natural calamities that hit the different parts of the country recently is primarily brought about by climate change, and not because God is gradually annihilating the people.

“Dili sad sa ingon na gianam-anam na ta Niya but unta, makapahingpit ni sa pagtuo ug pagsalig sa tawo ngadto sa Ginoo,” the archbishop stressed. (We just hope that these events are making our faith in God stronger.)(FREEMAN)