Typhoons, floods and prayers

Northern Luzon was ravaged by typhoon Labuyo last week. But on the very day that the storm struck, it was fair weather in Cebu. In previous years there were severe weather disturbances that harassed the northern and other parts of the country but left this province untouched.

The other year, a typhoon forecast to hit Cebu swerved to the south and damaged northern Mindanao. And last year there was Pablo which devasted some areas in Davao but fizzled out before reaching the Visayas.

As tv footages highlighted the aftermath of Labuyo in Luzon one couldn’t help but be touched by the sufferings of the people. Then one realizes how lucky we are to have been spared such tragedy.

But perhaps it’s more than luck. Somehow Cebuanos seem to enjoy some kind of mystical protection from some unseen powers, something which many believe could be that of the Señor Santo Niño.

Look, how long was it when this city and its neighboring areas got smothered by a strong typhoon? If I remember right, it was thirteen years ago when a howler named Rufing hammered Cebu with a merciless gustiness which wrecked infrastructures and destroyed power and water facilities. For about two weeks there was no electricity nor water services. Hundreds of houses were either blown off or roofed off. Yet even with Rufing Cebuanos never lose faith in the protective arms of the Child Jesus.

Proof of this is that come January every year many parishes and chapels resound with prayers and votive songs as faithfuls do their novena to the miraculous Child. And in Cebu City his feast day has become a monumental event for spiritual awakening.

Actually, the solemnities are a week-long affair consisting of a nine--day novena mass and punctuated by a solemn procession. The novena mass is not like any other novena masses. This is a series of masses celebrated every hour in the morning and afternoon, with each prayer session attended by an endless dream of worshippers. Then when procession day comes what a sea of devotees would fill the route from end to end, chanting praises and intoning prayers to the Lord!

Is there a religious event that beats the Pista Senyor rituals in Cebu City in terms of mass participations and sobriety?

Be that as it way, while storms seem to be programmed to bypass Cebu, the same cannot be said of floods. Floods especially in Metro Cebu  are a regular occurrence, Happily, unlike those in other areas, flood water seldom eddy for long hereabout, thus shortening inconveniences and difficulties. Nor are these floods life—threatening in nature similar to those in Central Luzon. Indeed, except for the traffic jams and rain soaked pedestrians, there’s little cause for worry whenever our streets are under water.

This does not mean of course that we should just let things be. Some drastic measures have to be taken, and taken seriously regardless of who sits at the city hall or provincial capitol. Surely, our leaders in the queen city of the south and premier province of the country cannot afford to leave their people to the mercy of the elements.

Funding of course is a problem. But if we don’t scratch and dig for it no funds will come our way. Nothing is impossible, actually, given a solid determination to solve the problems, and given a strong faith in the Almighty.

Government leaders falling on their knees to pray? Why not? Unless we have elected atheists there’s no way they can’t get internalized with what Jesus says about moving a mountain with a mustard-size faith, or building a city with the Lord’s help, or that without him one can do nothing.

And if most Cebuanos, the vaunted first Christians in the country, would also fall on their knees and be one with their leaders in prayer—wow, what a powerful force would that be, storming Heaven for miracles!