Please continue helping the suffering earthquake-stricken people in the Diocese of Digos and Diocese of Kidapawan. Their suffering still continues.
For the Diocese of Digos
Bank: Metrobank Digos Branch
Account Name: Diocese of Digos
S/A (Savings Account) Number: 129-3035005307
For the Diocese of Kidapawan
Bank Name: BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands)
Account Name: RCB Diocese of Kidapawan
Account Number: 008663-0571-55
In the morning of Monday, 4 November 2019, I took time to visit and see some of the areas mostly affected by the three (3) strong earthquakes (October 16, 29 and 31) that hit the areas of the Diocese of Digos and Diocese of Kidapawan.
In the Diocese of Digos, the city itself is badly hit. Many buildings, including a big part of the Cor Jesu College (catholic college) and the Our Lady of Mediatrix of All Grace Cathedral, are declared unsafe to use. According to Bishop Afable, his Cathedral needs a major retrofitting work. In the parishes of Matanao, Santa Maria, Padada and Bansalan, significant damage are reported and many families are staying outside their houses especially in the evening, obviously because of fear, compounded by aftershock tremors.
It is in the parish in the town of Magsaysay where the damage is very extensive. There I visited and saw four (4) evacuation centers in Malawanit, San Miguel, Upper Bala and Balnate. The parish church is declared also as not safe to use and therefore it is closed to liturgical use. In Balnate evacuation center, for example, where there are 316 families, they are staying in tents in the school grounds; they are afraid to use the school classroom themselves. In Upper Bala evacuation center, 116 families are camped in an area under coconut trees.
I went around with the parish priest of this parish, Father Estoon, and three parish staff who are involved in the work of taking care of the evacuees. I am amazed at what I observed – the positive outlook of the parish priest and the parish staff when they themselves are victims of the tragedy.
Father Estoon and myself and the staff, on that day, were one in our observation that the people in these four evacuation centers are fairly taken care of (food, water, tents, medical attention) by the LGU and generous groups coming from outside places bringing relief goods.
But Father Estoon and the staff conveyed this observation to me, that there are still many clusters of families who are staying in makeshift tents just near their residences and these are the clusters of evacuees who are least served. They are not in big evacuation centers. According to Father Estoon, the number of these families who are not in these big evacuation centers is about 1,169 families.
I talked to Bishop Afable this morning, November 6, and he confirmed to me that the main action of the Diocese of Digos is to address the needs of these families who are not in the big and main evacuation centers. They need food, water and better tents, and possibly medical attention.
In the afternoon of Monday, 4 November 2019, from Magsaysay (Diocese of Digos), I proceeded to the territory of the Diocese of Kidapawan. At 2:00 p.m., Bishop Bagaforo met me in the Municipality of Makilala, in the Quasi-Parish of Kisante. From there, accompanied by the parish priest of that quasi-parish, we went to two (2) big evacuation centers and to two (2) smaller evacuation areas, really clusters of families. The two (2) big evacuation centers are in the Boy Scouts Camp of Bulatukan and in the school grounds of Malasila. All of these are in the Municipality of Makilala. For example, in the evacuation center in the school grounds of Malasila, 667 families are camped or are staying there. Bishop Bagaforo confirmed to me what I heard from and observed about the evacuees of these two (2) big centers. They are fairly well taken care of: food, water and tents. Also, medical and health personnel were around.
But with Bishop Bagaforo, what we observed in the two (2) smaller clusters of evacuee-families is that they are less served because they are not in the very visible big evacuation centers. Bishop Bagaforo told me that their main focus now, very similar to that of Bishop Afable of Digos, is to reach out and help and assist these smaller clusters of evacuee-families.
At about 5:25 p.m., Bishop Bagaforo brought me to the parish of Bulacanon (still in the Municipality of Makilala). There we met the Parish Priest, Father Garcia, who is now staying in the kiosk on the rectory grounds. His rectory has suffered big cracks. His church is the same; it is declared unsafe to use. All of his BEC chapels, there are 42 of them, have suffered major damage, a good number have totally collapsed; practically they are all unsafe to use. Since it was getting dark, we quickly went to one more evacuation camp in a public school grounds very near the parish church where about 560 families are staying.
I would like to note that when I was traveling from one evacuation center to another in the Municipality of Magsaysay (Diocese of Digos) and in the Municipality of Makilala (Diocese of Kidapawan), along the way, I saw many houses and buildings, especially school buildings, badly damaged.
Again, from what I heard from the two (2) bishops and the parish priest of Magsaysay (Diocese of Digos) and the parish priest of Kisante Quasi-Parish (Diocese of Kidapawan), from the parish priest of Bulacanon Parish (Diocese of Kidapawan), and from the parish staff in these parishes whom I met, these two (2) dioceses will focus their activities of helping the victims of these recent earthquakes on those clusters and small groups of families who are camped in makeshift shelters on grounds near their homes; these are groups who received very little attention.
Additional Notes:
1. The people/families are very much afraid to go home, obviously because of their trauma from their experience, and this is compounded by their experience of aftershocks which are continuing.
2. Now, most of these families, even if they would desire to go home, have damaged homes. I saw many of them totally or partially damaged.
3. Many of these families also, even if they want to go home, are not allowed to go back to their areas because the government has declared their areas as “no-build- zones”. Government authorities have indicated that these areas are not safe anymore for building their houses.
4. I am happy to note also that today, November 6, we had our regular meeting of the Metropolitan Province of Davao (what we call here DADITAMA). All bishops and heads of apostolates and ministries in the four arch/dioceses were present,
Therefore, the Dioceses of Digos and Kidapawan need our assistance as they focus their aid and help on these families by bringing food, water, additional shelter/tents and other necessary items.
And today we lengthily discussed how to strengthen our collective efforts (because each diocese has already began its campaign days ago) to help the Dioceses of Digos and Kidapawan.
Please let us continue to pray for these suffering people. Let us also pray for ourselves that we will never get tired of extending our love and care for the people in the Diocese of Digos and Diocese of Kidapawan.
