Typhoon "Emong" batters Bani...

Von: bobcasaclang@yahoo.com
Gesendet: Sonntag, 17. Mai 2009 09:49

Bilder unter:
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The problem with a place like Western Pangasinan here in the Philippines is that we somehow have gotten used to typhoons. Every year, about 10 to 15 of these weather disturbances force their way into our homes and workplaces, bringing rains and floods, destroying crops, houses, roads, electric installations and communication lines, and even claiming innocent lives. And so when storm signals were raised last May 6 for the coming of "another" typhoon, not a few may have dismmissed it as "just one of those things". Unfortunately, when the storm did hit Bani, it was an experience that was altogether unexpected...

All it took was about 3 hours and 30 minutes ( 5:00pm - 8:30pm of May 7) to turn the whole municipality of Bani (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish) into a veritable sea of chaos: Houses totally demolished, rooftops blown away, people fleeing for safety, trees uprooted or falling on houses or along roads, electric posts falling along highways, no electric power, no communication lines including cellphone signal. We practically did not know what hit us!

About twelve hours after the storm, the complete picture of destruction became as clear as day: a total 9,313 homes affected ( 6,718 were totally destroyed, and 2,595 partially destroyed). Six people died and seven were injured. These figures may not speak sufficiently well of the great pain, shock and anxiety that has dawned upon our people, epecially the many poor ones. But talking to them as we made our rounds broke our hearts and brought tears to our eyes as we actually saw their condition, grasped their clammy, shaking hands, embraced their trembling shoulders and listened to their stories and plight.

Today, ten days after that fateful day, I am writing this email (from an internet shop in Dagupan City, because there is still no electricity in Bani) to share with you our experiences. Indeed, typhoon Emong may have battered our municipality/parish, but it was unable to demolish the human spirit. Our people have started to pick up the pieces of their splintered lives and have started to move on with new strength. Help, though limited, has been present all around. The municipal government's Operation Tulong is in full swing, giving relief goods. Our friends, the Missionary Sisters of Charity from Dagupan, came last Thursday to distribute relief goods (rice, noodles, sardines) to the poorest of the poor (240 families) in the Poblacion area. On May 19, our Diocesan Social Action Group will come to give rice to more poor families. We just had our Parish Pastoral Council meeting this morning, and we tasked our barangay coordinators to continue surveying their barangays for more poor families to avail of relief goods still to be distributed. Many have complained that there is so little help for so many people in need. But we asked them to wait, as it does really take some time for help to be organized and delivered to them.

Meanwhile, the parish church building suffered minimal damage: 6 pieces of galvanized iron sheets were blown away, and as of this writing have already been replaced. Three stained-glass windows fell and we still have to wait for the electric power to return for us to weld them back into place. The rectory/priest's convent also received a beating: 15 GI sheets of the roof still have to be replaced and a large part of the ceiling has to be renovated, to prevent further leaks and damage when more rains come. The adjacent Catholic School (Immaculate Conception Learning Center) also had its roof destroyed, among other things. Also damaged was the very old Former Rectory, and so it really has to be demolished. And the old Sisters' Convent near the Adoration Chapel was also badly damaged. Sad to say, almost all the trees in the Church grounds were felled. (Please see pictures on Attachment).

It is indeed as great challenge to shepherd our people in moments of crises and near-desperation such as these. We are strengthened by Jesus in the Eucharist and by His word that gives us strength and hope. We share these with our people in our Eucharistic celebrations. Likewise, we derive new strength from the prayers and the loving help extended to us by other parishes in our Diocese, and from friends and partners like you who continue to pray with us and for us.

God bless us!

Father Bob Casaclang (Parish Priest)
Immaculate Conception Parish
Bani, Pangasinan (Diocese of Alaminos)
Philippines