Interfaith prayer for Yolanda survivors held

RELIGIOUS groups gathered yesterday for an interfaith prayer service for survivors of supertyphoon Yolanda and victims of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake last October 15.

The activity at the Cebu city hall was attended by believers of Islam, Buddhists from Chu-un temple, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines and the Roman Catholic Church.

“These calamities should serve as a wake up call from God that we should unite and pray for strength,” said Msgr. Rommel Kintanar of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

“Bagyo man o linog, mawala ra na kung mag-ampo lang ta sa Ginoo. Busa, magtinabangay ug maghiusa kita,” said Imam Saripalonto, Islam representative and president of the Muslim Visayas Daawa Association. (We can overcome typhoons or earthquakes if we just pray to God and unite.)

Kem Florenosos of the Buddhist Chu-un temple also prayed for strength for people who are helping the victims of the two calamities. Their temple has been organizing relief efforts for the affected areas.

THE Lapu-Lapu city government plans to transfer almost 10,000 informal settlers living along danger zones of 28 coastal barangays.

Mayor Paz Radaza said the clearing will start next year. Those who will refuse to move will be cleared out by force.

The city has 30 barangays including Olango island and three islets. The mainland has 19 barangays with a population of about 350,000. Olanggo Island and the three islets have about 50,000 people.

Radaza said they will ask urban poor groups to help identify the families that will benefit from the city’s socialized housing.

Targeted families are those that don’t have building permits. Radaza will meet with the barangay captains so they will help implement the rule disallowing the building of structures along the danger zones.

Radaza said that with the calamities being experienced, it is important for people to cooperate with the government.

The city government plans to give financial aid to the informal settlers living along the shorelines.

Because the relocation site won’t be enough for all the informal settlers, the Lapu-Lapu City government plans to offer monetary aid to those who won’t avail of the relocation site.