Zubiri’s prayer to Sto. Niño: Passing of the Disaster Resilience Bill

Senator Miguel Zubiri (in white polo shirt)  says in an interview at the sideline of the Sinulog Grand Showdown at the Cebu City Sports Center, that he is praying to the Santo Niñothat Congress will pass his Disaster Resilience Bill. |Delta Dyrecka Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Senator Miguel Zubiri is a long time devotee of the Señor Santo Niño de Cebu and this is his 12th time in Cebu for the Sinulog festival. 

“Sa among altar sa balay, naa gyod nay Santo Niño ug Mama Mary. (In our altar at home, there is always an image of the Santo Niño and the Mother Mary),” said Zubiri in an interview with CDN Digital at the sidelines of the Sinulog Grand Showdown at the Cebu City Sports Center on Sunday, January 19, 2020. 

Zubiri said that his devotion to Santo Niño had extended to his public service as a legislator for his prayer this year was the passing of the Senate bill creating the Department of Disaster Resilience.

The bill is currently awaiting approval of the Congress.

The senator said that there was a pressing need for this bill to be passed into law because of recent disasters such as the devastating Typhoon Ursula in December 2019 and the eruption of the Taal Volcano on January 12, 2020. 

“Kada buwan na lang naay disaster sa mga probinsya sa Pilipinas. (Every month, a disaster strikes some provinces in the Philippines),” said Zubiri. 

He said this was his prayer to the Santo Niño, that the country would be safe from disasters.

Yet if it could not be avoided, he prayed to the Santo Niño that the country might be prepared for these disasters. 

Meanwhile, Zubiri said he was enjoying the Sinulog 2020 especially the Taek Geuk, an international contingent from Korea. 

He said he has never seen an international contingent before and enjoyed the cultural show. /dbs