Archdiocese of Caceres in Bicol appeals for help

MANILA, Philippines —  The Roman Catholic Church in Bicol is appealing for help as thousands in the region reel from “the worst flooding ever” and agonize over slow and meager assistance from concerned agencies.

“The last 48 hours have not been easy for us. We experienced the worst flooding ever due to Typhoon Kristine. All of lowland Naga and other parts of Bicol were submerged under the floods,” said Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon of the Archdiocese of Caceres in a letter of appeal. “People had to swim for safety (and) some died.”

He included in his letter a text message from “a religious sister” who was begging for “food to 500-plus people evacuated in our school.”

“The barangay keeps on bringing more people but no food yet po… we all gave what we have but not enough po,” according to the text message.

The next day, the nun again pleaded for help, saying “many are asking for food now… children are crying… need din po ng water.”

The towns of Gainza, Canaman, Camaligan, Milaor, Minalabac, San Fernando, Bula, Baao, Nabua, Bato “and other outlying areas are still flooded and can hardly be reached,” Alarcon said.

He added rescue operations were still underway “but boats are needed.”

Areas under the archdiocese also had no network signal and power supply and were running out of food and water as “stores were also affected,” he said.

Alarcon said many Kristine victims staying at evacuation areas like parish churches, schools, barangay halls and covered courts were in desperate need for food and water as well as medicine, hygiene kits, innerwear, blankets, flashlights, sleeping kits and other essentials.

Cash assistance may be deposited in the accounts of Caritas Caceres and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Caceres, details of which were included in Alarcon’s letter posted on the archdiocese’s Facebook page.

Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula has asked parishes under the Archdiocese of Manila to hold a second collection during masses today and tomorrow.

The cash donations from the second collection would be donated to victims of Kristine in the Bicol region and Quezon province, Advincula said in Circular No. 2024-75.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, said the