Pope Leo XIV prays for Tino victims

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the devastation from Typhoon Tino, Pope Leo XIV yesterday extended his solidarity with Filipinos and offered prayers.

“I express my closeness to the people of the Philippines who have been hit by a violent typhoon,” the pontiff posted on X. “I pray for the deceased and their families, as well as for the injured and displaced.”

Over 220 people died due to rains and floods brought by Tino, with Cebu being the hardest-hit province, according to the Office of Civil Defense.

Pope Leo XIV is known to have a close connection with Cebu and had visited the province three times when he was then Fr. Robert Francis Prevost, the prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine.

He visited Cebu in 2004 and blessed the Augustinian friary at the Santo Niño de Cebu Parish in Talisay City.

The pope came back in 2008 and led the blessing of the Santo Niño Spirituality Center.

In 2009, he celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

Meanwhile, Caritas Philippines, Cebu Caritas and Caritas Germany have conducted an initial coordination and assessment in Cebu.

“The devastation was overwhelming, as most residents were unprepared for the rapid rise of floodwaters,” Caritas Philippines posted on Facebook.

Residents need clean water, food packs, household essentials, sleeping kits, temporary shelter materials, solar lights, water receptacles or containers, sanitation and hygiene kits and medicines, the group said.