Fr. Pacifico Nohara, rector of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino, asked landslide victims to put their trust on the miraculous child.
Nohara said in a brief mesage o landslide victims that God is the sole owner of human life.
He also expressed hope that the Sto. Nino’s brief visit at the Enan Chiong Activity Center will be able to help nourish their sould while they are in grief.
“Kami ni hapit karon aron sa paghatag ug patoo ug pag laum. Nga mo salig kamo kaniya kay wala gyud tay mahino ug wala siya,” Nohara said.
He added that the landslide in Barangay Tinaan should also serve as a wakeup call for all Cebuanos on the need to care for the environment.
Erlinda Sabellano, 44, was in tears while she listened to Nohara speak. She has been crying since the Sto. Nino arrived at the Enan Chiong Activity Center at 5:30p.m.
“Mapasalamaton lang gyud kaayo ko nga naluwas mi,” she said.
Sabellano said that she; her husband Romeo, 46; and children Ronnie, 7 and Roxanne , 6 wete unharmed during the landslide even if they were unable to save their belongings.
Sabellano said she was already awake, preparing breakfast for her children who are enrolled in Grade 1 and 2, when she heard the thundering sound of loose soil falling into homes in Sitio Sindulan.
She immediately woke members of her family so yhey can ran outside.
“Wala gyud mi nadala,” she said.
Sabellano said that while their home was not reached by the landslide, they are already barred from going back to Sitio Sindulan.
Like Sabellano, several other evacuees were in tears while they lined up to kiss the image of the Sto Nino and while they sang the Gozos.
Some comforted their crying family members.
Nohara told the landslide victims not to forget to call on the Sto Nino for help.
“Padayon sa inyong pag pangayo kaniya sa grasya nga inyong gustong nakb ot kay ana ra siya,” he said.
The image of the Sto Nino stayed at the Naga City evacuation center for an hoir before heading back to the basilica.