ruby brings havoc to eastern samar

p.11
p.5
BORONGAN CITY
www.estenews.org
November-December 2014
Volume. 2 No. 10
RUBY BRINGS HAVOC TO
EASTERN SAMAR
THE GREAT FLOOD. Flash floods nearly submerge the Loom Bridge in Borongan City in the early morning of Dec. 7, 2014. (Photo by: Borongan Catholic TV 13)
Ma. Natividad Bagas
PAGASA named Hagupit (international name) as Ruby as it moved into the
waters of the Philippines early December
4, 2014. Typhoon Ruby made its landfall
at December 6, 2014 at 9:15 in the evening in Dolores, Eastern Samar, maintaining its diameter at 600 km. Storm signals
were up in several areas in Eastern Samar.
Potential storm surge up to 4.5 meters
high was also reported. People of Eastern
Samar feared the surge as it might be a
repeat of the super typhoon last year that
left more than 7,000 dead or missing.
According to Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council (NDRRMC), residents of coastal
village and flood-prone areas had been
moved to safer ground before Typhoon
Ruby hit Eastern Samar. About 17,087
people in Eastern Samar have moved to
32 identified evacuation areas in the province. Among the evacuation areas are
municipal halls, Capitol building, Bishop’s
Residence, churches, seminaries, religious and public schools.
In addition, government security
forces were sent to the northern part of
the Eastern Samar province on Saturday,
when a report came from PAGASA that
Typhoon Ruby will landfall in Dolores. Preventive power blackout through the province was observed at nine in the morning
of December 6.
Though Eastern Samareños had prepared, no one was prepared enough severe floods that submerge large parts of
Eastern Samar. Assumptions had been
made that the floods have been caused
by deforestation of large part of Samar
mountains. The worst affected areas
were the capital city of Borongan, and the
towns of San Julian, Sulat, Taft, Can-avid,
Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Jipapad and Maslog.
There were ten confirmed casualties in the province as of December 12;
four were from San Mateo, all of whom
drowned in floodwater. Eleven more people were still missing after the flood. Missing persons were from San Mateo, Surok
and San Gabriel.
In a report, Borongan Bishop Crispin
Varquez said that “the people did not foresee the flood“.
All three rivers – Sabang, Loom and
Suribao – surrounding the lowland barangays overflowed caused by heavy rain.
The water level reached more than 12
feet in some areas of Borongan City. The
upstream barangays also experienced
severe flooding, making all houses and
schools be submerge in vast waters.
“I clung tightly on a small branch
of tree when the water came rushing. I
looked around and saw the water filled
our place instantly. All I can see were roofs
and half of the trees.” Mrs. Badiola, 53, a
resident of San Jose, recalled her experience during Typhoon Ruby.
Typhoon Ruby landfall areas were
Dolores, Eastern Samar on December 6,
8pm to 10pm; Masbate on December 7, 8
am to 10 am; Sibuyan Island on December
7, 2 pm to 4 pm; Romblon on December 7,
5 pm to 7 pm; Tablas Island on December
7, 8pm to 10 pm; and Oriental Mindoro on
December 8, 5am to 7 am. The typhoon
shortly moved away from Philippines territory into the South China Sea.
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ESTE! News
November-December 2014
BORONGAN LOWLAND
Photos by: Borongan Catholic TV13
ESTE! News
November-December 2014
3
BORONGAN UPLAND
Photos by: Quora Bee & Borongan Catholic TV13
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ESTE! News
November-December 2014
SIMPLE & HUMBLE THOUGHTS
BISHOP CRISPIN B. VARQUEZ, DD
EDITORIAL:
GABA
Usa nga diri malilikayan nga konskwensya han pag-ukoy dinhi ha kalibutan
amo an pag-antos han mga karat-an nga dara han kinaiyahan. Samtang an
tawo aanhi pa ha kalibutan, diri gud mahihimo nga maka-alinggawas hiya han
mga kataragman nga dara han pagin diri perpekto han iya kinamumutangan.
Karuyag sidngon hini nga usa nga kinaiya han kalibutan nga angay karawaton amo an pagkamay-ada mga natural nga mga kalamidad: mga bagyo,
mga linog, mga tsunami, mga pagbaha, mga pagbuto hit bulkan, ug iba pa.
Ini ngatanan dara han kinaiya han kalibutan- mayda mga natural nga mga
proseso nga ginsusunod han mga element ug mayda liwat pagkalain-lain han
mga binuhat tikang han pinaka-perpekto ngadto han pinaka-ubos pa ha iya.
Kon sugad, aada na gud han istraktura han kalibutan an kadelikadohan
nga ha panahon nga diri matitigo han tawo, an kalamidad puydi mahinabo. Ha
takna nga diri pinamumulat, an kadak-an nga kataragman nahinanabo.
“New Normal” is the term recently used by people concerning climate
change. This means that super typhoons
accompanied by high-rise storm surges,
strong earthquakes, extremely hot weather conditions and other forms of calamities
are normal phenomena in these times. If
these are the realities, we must also make
new forms of responses to mitigate disasters when these “new normal” calamities
come.
----------------------------------Science and technology have already
gone a long way in inventing ways and machines that alter the course of nature. For
example, there are already ways of driving
away rain clouds to keep a clear weather
over a specified place for a specified time.
On the other hand, when people need or
want rain, there is already a way to “make”
rain by cloud-seeding. Are there now scientists and technologists out there who
are developing a way of chasing storms,
and especially, super typhoons away
from human habitats? Or are we only up
to building evacuation centers and strat-
Kundi han mga kalamidad nga aton gin-antos yana, kinikita an mga
pangilal-an nga an tawo dako an kasaypanan o mga baratunon. Diri kunta
kita labis nga maapektohan hin tigda la ug hataas nga mga baha kon diri pa
naton gin-aabusaran an kagurangan- pinaagi hin waray hunong nga pamulod
hin kahoy, iresponsable nga pag-mina ug iba pa. Diri pa kunta nagigin sugad
kamabangis an hangin kon mayda pa naton kakahuyan nga masasalipdan.
egizing rescue and relief operations? Are
we only up to reaping the consequences
of the many alterations we have done to
nature which makes it strike back?
-------------------------------God, the Creator of all things, is a God
of order. He created nature with laws that
keep everything in it in proper order. Even
our simple forefathers who did not study
in universities understood that nature has
a way of healing itself. We consider the
super typhoons as calamities but they are
merely consequences of our acts of altering the courses of nature. Nature imperatively has to heal itself. When we stand in
its way, we suffer.
----------------------------------Experience has proven that those
who believe will be saved. The difference
between Yolanda and Ruby in their extent
of devastating families and claiming human lives is not in their path nor in their
strength. The difference is in the people’s
responses to the warnings. They were not
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ANTIGO
MSGR. LOPE C. ROBREDILLO, VG
Oo, kaupod ta an kalamidad ha takna pala nga natatawo kita hini nga
kalibutan. Pero mayda mga kalamidad nga kanan tawo mga binuhatan. Siring
pa han katigurangan: “An Dios, magpapasaylo; kundi diri an kinaiyahan.”
“An gaba nahilaba, an gabtol nakirogtol.”
THE PADUL-ONG FESTIVAL (OF BORONGAN, EASTERN SAMAR)--A CULTIC
AETIOLOGY?
A Religio-Historical and Literary-Critical
Once-Over at the Padul-ong “Tradition”
PART III
ESTE! – EASTERN SAMAR NEWS & VIEWS
2N D F LO O R , B I SH O P’ S R E SI D E N C E , B O RO N G A N C IT Y
PUBLISHER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
LAY-OUT ARTIST
PHOTOGRAPHER
CARTOONIST
BUSINESS MANAGER
CIRCULATION
Diocesan Commission on Mass Media & Social Communications
Fr. Neil Tenefrancia
Ma. Natividad Bagas
Francis Dave Panaguiton
Alren Jerome Beronio
Fred Kevin Abenis
S. Lilyfe Cagas, LGC
Limbert Dulfo
Elvin Sanchez
MO RE NE WS @
h t t p://www.e s te n e ws .o rg
T WI T T E R
h t t p ://www.t wi t te r.c o m /e s te n e ws o n l i n e
E MAI L
e di to r.e s te n e ws @ gm ai l .c o m
A LITERARY-CRITICAL VIEW OF THE
PADUL-ONG “TRA-DITION”
From a literary standpoint, how are we to
understanding thepadul-ong story?[12] It is
instructive that the brochure on the “tradition”,
“Padul-ong Festival,” uses various words to
describe it: myth, legend, and tale.[13] Actually, these terms, as far as I am concerned,
are legitimate. After all, there is no agreed
definition on these literary genres. Besides,
the differences between these terms are so
fluid that each author has almost a different
way of using these terms. But as a biblical
scholar who has been engaged in the study
of the literary genres of the Bible, I would like
to treat the padul-ong narrative as an aetiology, though I would not cavil with someone
who would consider it as a legend or myth.[14]
But for my purpose, I would prefer to place
it under the rubric of aetiology, following the
great literary critic, Herman Gunkel, a German
scholar, whose study of legends remains influential.[15]
A.The Padul-ong Story: A Cultic Aetiology
What is aetiology? Aetiology is a term
used to designate a story that is designed to
explain how an existing phenomenon in nature, custom or institution came into being by
recounting a past event which is taken to be
the effective cause of that phenomenon. As a
starting point, Gunkel asserts that aetiological
stories are answers to questions—man looks
at things and ask why. Thus, he classifies
these stories in terms of the kind of questions
that he assumes to lie behind the answers
embodied in the narrative. Gunkel gives four
types: (1) ethnological aetiology, which gives
reasons for relations among tribal groups; (2)
etymological aetiology, which explains the
names of persons and places; (3) cultic aetiology, which accounts for the origin of religious
rites and customs; and (4) geological aetiology, which explains the origin of a particular
locality or geological formation. [16] In Eastern Samar history and culture, one (1) and four
(4) are not common, but the second is recurrent. The story that the town of Oras was so
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ESTE! News
November-December 2014
THOUGHT FOR THOUGHT
5
LEGAL INSIDER
ATTY. MAU OBON
REV. EUTIQUIO ‘EULY’ B. BELIZAR, JR., SThD
PACIFYING MOTHER EARTH’S FURY
“WE STOOD BY OUR PEOPLE THROUGH SUPER TYPHOON RUBY, WE WILL STAND BY THEM BEYOND…”
I admit I feel very ill at ease talking
about our own clergy, let alone praise
them. At least in our local Church, the
Borongan Diocese, we know each other’s
strengths and (especially) weaknesses
only too well to seek to heap accolades
on one another without sounding hollow.
But on the Wednesday following Ruby’s violent and catastrophic visit,
December 10, 2014, as parish priest after parish priest from Llorente to Arteche
reported on the conditions of his parish,
how his flock and he survived Super Typhoon Ruby, I was in near awe. Virtually
all of them and their companion priests
where there are team ministries chose
to be with their flock rather than flee to
safety. They went through the same dangers of violent winds, with some getting
close calls, huge flash flooding especially
in Seminario de Jesus Nazareno our high
school seminary, and still surviving and
being able to help save a few individuals and families even in their vulnerable
churches and rectories.
The message that rang through
their personal testimonies was loud and
clear: “We stood by our people through
Super Typhoon Ruby; we will stand by
them beyond.”
Why would this message be
given any weight at all?
First, because during Super Typhoon Yolanda a number of victims and
survivors terribly missed the presence
of the clergy in the Ground Zero of their
suffering and devastation. But this could
not be said of the Borongan clergy, even
from among those who had a previously
arranged pilgrimage to the Holy Land in
2013.
Two, we had a choice to seek
safety and protection outside our parishes. As early as December 3, 2014, while
deliberating on the new financial system
of the diocese, we were told the super
typhoon was definitely heading our way,
the first landfall estimate being the next
day, in the afternoon. We cut our discussions short and started to focus instead
on the necessary preparations for Ruby.
Even then we were advised to seek secure places or areas, which was another
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FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF EASTERN
SAMAR THROUGH THE DIOCESE OF BORONGAN:
ACCOUNT NAME:
Roman Catholic Bishop of Borongan - Disaster Fund
ACCOUNT NUMBER:
390-7-39000845-3
BANK:
Metrobank-Borongan Branch
ADDRESS:
Abogado St., Borongan City
SWIFT CODE:
mbtcphmm
NOTE: For easier and faster acknowledgement of your cash donations, please send to us the following:
1. Date and amount of donation
2. Scanned deposit slip
3. Address to whom the Acknowledgement Receipt will be mailed.
In the Bible, the book of Genesis
tells us that God gave man dominion
over nature. However, for the people who
has braved nearly eight feet high river
spills, endured the ear splitting howl of
raging winds that seemed to go on for
eternity, and struggled against the sea
waters rushing madly to thrash its fury
against anyone or anything that stands
on its way; it is man that is being subdued by nature.
Don’t get me wrong, everything that
God does is good and it was never His
intention for man to get a beating from
Mother Earth. It was just unfortunate that
man have misunderstood God’s grant of
dominion to include the abuse and misuse of His creation. What is even more
tragic is that, when Mother Earth decides
to avenge herself for all the cruelty which
man has made her to suffer, she doesn’t
just strike at her bullies but also the innocent ones.
Luckily, Lady Justice’s vigilance has
opened the portals to the Halls of Justice
to those who care about Mother Earth,
not only after she is violated but also
when she is threatened by it. Thus, proenvironment individuals and groups can
now seek environmental justice under
the Philippine laws.
Embedded in the 1987 Constitution is the people’s right to balanced and
healthful ecology which states that “The
State shall protect and advance the right
of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and
harmony of nature.”
This Constitutional provision was
given fangs and teeth by Supreme Court
when it promulgated the Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases (“the
Rules”) which took effect on April 29,
2010. The Rules carved out the manner by which the concerned individuals
and groups can seek redress before the
courts through civil, criminal, and special civil actions involving enforcement
or violations of environmental and other
related laws, rules and regulations .
Even before the Rules came into
effect, the Supreme Court has already
shed a light on the people’s right to balanced and healthful ecology in the case
of OPOSA vs. FACTORAN (G.R. No.
101083; July 30, 1993). The Petitioners in
this case were minors, who asserted that
they represent their generation as well as
generations yet unborn. Interestingly, the
Supreme Court declared in this case that
a suit can be brought in behalf of future
generations. In concurring with the Petitioners, it said that “Their personality to
sue in behalf of the succeeding generations can only be based on the concept
of intergenerational responsibility insofar
as the right to a balanced and healthful
ecology is concerned.”
The case of OPOSA vs. FACTORAN
Turn to Page 9
RIVIER CORNER
PM Sisters
The Campus Youth Ministry in Eastern Samar State University, imploring the aid
of the Divine Providence, in order to serve their fellow youth, shall embody their goal to
respond more generously to God’s call to holiness; hence, become true disciples of Jesus
Christ and visible examples of Christian values with a true missionary spirit.
The members of this organization commit themselves to:
• develop the life of prayer among members;
• deepen the knowledge of Jesus Christ, of His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the Saints and other models of faith and holiness in the Church;
• take everything as opportunity to live the Christian virtues and attitudes;
• know and be ready to defend the Church’s stand on relevant issues; and
• live its mission: “Youth Serving Youth” through the different ministries that fit
each one’s interest and capabilities.
Each member is a student officially enrolled in Eastern Samar State University,
Borongan, Eastern Samar; has a sincere desire to grow in his /her spiritual life; willing to
participate in all its activities; and ready to commit for its mission which is “Youth-ServingYouth”.
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ESTE! News
November-December 2014
SAN JULIAN / TAFT / ORAS
Photos by: Bro. Kenneth Cainday & Arnel Balatay
ESTE! News
November-December 2014
7
CAN-AVID / DOLORES
Photos by: Bro. Kenneth Cainday & Bem Germino
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ESTE! News
November-December 2014
NATIVITY OF OUR LADY COLLEGE SEMINARY - BORONGAN
Photos by: Borongan Catholic TV13
ESTE! News
November-December 2014
9
CONCEPCION MISSION STATION - ARTECHE
Photos by: Bro. James Abella
Simple and Humble...(from p.4)
well-prepared for Yolanda because they
did not believe the authorities’ warnings.
In Ruby, they believed and so they were
saved.
------------------------We can never thank God enough for
the gift of our faith. He saves us by giving
us this gift of our faith. Our faith makes us
prepare for eventualities and yet, it gives
us peace amidst anxieties because it assures us that the Creator who alone has
the right to alter nature’s course cares for
us.
------------------------------Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in their life
on earth, believed in and obeyed God’s
word. By their faith, salvation has come
to us. Our experience of Ruby reminds us
of one important message of Christmas
– faith and salvation are significantly and
directly related.
Legal Insider...(from p.5)
also suggests that this right concerns
nothing less than self-preservation
and self-perpetuation. It need not
even be written in the Constitution for
they are assumed to exist from the inception of humankind. Hence, when
man abuses Mother Earth, he is not
only causing damage to the environment, but he is also violating the right
of the present population, as well as
the right of future generations, to fully
enjoy a balanced and healthful ecology. Every time that man ravages the
earth, he is actually condemning his
offspring to inherit a parched earth incapable of sustaining life.
In hindsight, the super typhoons
Yolanda and Ruby may not have been
Mother Earth’s revenge but her cries for
help. Indeed, a few years ago, environmental cases were totally unheard of for
some people. The recent promulgation
of the Rules could only mean that man’s
destructive ways are getting out of
hand. It could also mean that whatever
is left of the natural world is already at
a critical level that it needs the hand
of the law protect it. Hopefully, there
will be people who are fearless enough
to exploit the Rules to pacify Mother
Earth’s fury.
But, my personal wish is that the
Rules won’t be of any use because the
recent calamities have taught man to
become faithful stewards of God’s creation. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “In God’s plan
man and woman have the vocation of
“subduing” the earth as stewards of
God. This sovereignty is not to be an
arbitrary and destructive domination.
God calls man and woman, made in
the image of the Creator “who loves
everything that exists,” to share in his
providence toward other creatures;
hence their responsibility for the world
God has entrusted to them.”
Sec. 16, Art. II, 1987 Constitution
Supreme Court A.M. 09-6-8-SC
Sec. 2, Rule I, A.M. 09-6-8-SC
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ESTE! News
November-December 2014
SEMINARIO DE JESUS NAZARENO - CAMPESAO, BORONGAN
Photos by: Borongan Catholic TV13
November-December 2014
FEATURE
ESTE! News
11
Borongan Diocese gears up for Papal Visit
Ma. Natividad Bagas
The Diocese of Borongan is preparing
intently for Pope Francis’ visit next year on
the 17th of January. The three Papal events
the Diocese of Borongan looking forward to
are the Papal mass, Papal lunch with the
Typhoon Yolanda victims, and the Papal
audience, which will be held consecutively.
The Diocese of Borongan can send,
as of now, 5000 registered delegates to the
Papal Mass at Tacloban City International
Airport at 9:30 in the morning. It is allocated
to various parishes and religious communities serving within the diocese. The delegates to the Papal events are requested to
bring their own food and arrange their own
transportation to and from Tacloban City.
Pope Francis’ lunch with the Typhoon
Yolanda victims will be held at Gonzaga
House, Bishop’s Residence at Palo, Leyte.
The delegates to lunch with the Pope were
identified by the Parish Priests of hardly hit
towns of Typhoon Yolanda, all came from
the most vulnerable families. The selection
was based on Parish class. Class A parishes have 130 delegates; class B parishes
have 100 delegates; and 70 delegates for
class C parishes.
The Audience with the Pope will commence at 2:00 in the afternoon at Palo
Metropolitan Cathedral. It will be attended
by the local clergy and religious men and
women serving the Diocese of Borongan.
The Diocese of Borongan is assigned
to wear white T-shirts during these events.
This will allow identification and also as an
added security measure. Delegates can
bring their and wear their own white T-shirts
to the site. However, the Diocese will be
printing personalized T-shirts with the Papal visit logo and other details. [If interested
to buy a T-shirts, please visit the Mass Media office at 2nd Floor, Bishops Residence,
Borongan City together with your payment.
It will be distributed a few days before the
event.] Please note well that buying the said
T-shirts is NOT OBLIGATORY but only OPTIONAL.
Those who are not registered are welcome to the Papal events but will not be
able to access the sites and only those
registered and provided with IDs can enter.
Every registered delegate will pass through
security check. It is encouraged that the
events are to be attended with people who
are physically fit and able. Those who can
endure long hours of standing, all-weather
outdoor event, or can handle long distances of walking as the arrangement of parking
of vehicles is still unclear until now.
in water so that a resident from Campesao,
who evacuated tp SJN with his family said
that when he looked outside the windows,
only vast waters can be seen and they were
like a ship coursing through the sea.
The Priests’ Home chapel has, like any
other chapel, an altar with crucifix and tabernacle. The tabernacle was covered with
thin lace with a sanctuary lamp burning
next to it. During the typhoon Ruby, the water level in the chapel reached and stopped
at the base of the tabernacle, no more no
less. In fact, the marks of the dirt and water
line are still visible on the walls even until
now.
Everything in the chapel were covered
with mud, became wet, dirty and damaged.
But the lamp was still burning, the lace veil
was still in place- perfectly the way it was
placed, and the upper surface of the base
of tabernacle base was immaculate-clean.
Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez, together with some priests & seminarians visited the Priests’ Home in the early morning
of December 7 to check the people there,
even when the winds were still strong. They
themselves witnessed the incident and
documented it through some photographs.
December 7, Sunday afternoon, the
day after the landfall, Bishop Varquez recalled in his homily: “Sometimes we just
ignore and don’t really appreciate the presence of the Holy Sacrament- of the Lord
in our very midst. But the incident at the
Priests’ Home powerfully points out to us
the fact that He is alive, He is here, He is
with us especially during our times of troubles. And He always reminds us that He is
the Master of all creation, He is the Lord of
all the earth, and that He is the King even
over the flood.”
One priest stationed in Cebu City who
knew about the incident through the social
media, since the incident went viral on Facebook in the days following Typhoon Ruby,
easily connected the event to the story of
Jesus and his disciples as they weather a
storm in a boat: “The Lord is asleep, undisturbed by the strong winds and waves. And
He said: Be still! It happened before, and so
it can happen again now.”
ing profusely to my “guests”, about forty
evacuees, for their “wet” stay at the rectory. To my surprise, almost all the other
priests in affected areas shared the same
experience. And yet I thought that suffering with our people became another
authentic chance at bonding between
shepherds and sheep. We had communion not only in church but also in suffering.
Finally, Super Typhoon Ruby which
came on the heels of Super Typhoon
Yolanda is a grim reminder to all of us of
what our people and clergy can expect in
the next few days, months or years. We
must constantly ask the hard questions.
Are Yolanda and Ruby really the “new
normal” catastrophic realities we have
to deal with yearly or even quarterly?
How ready are we for these samples of
climate-change-induced horrors? What
sort of preparation would be sufficient
to both save lives and reduce property
losses to the minimum? Given that we
are not the worst contributors to climate
change, must we not seek ecological
justice from its more pronounced perpetrators, the big industrialized countries
of the First World? How do we go about
achieving real ecological justice, i.e., giving the environment its due care and calamity victims their due assistance and/
or compensation?
Two great saints give us words of
consolation after Ruby. The first is St.
John of the Cross who said: “The purest
suffering bears and carries in its train the
purest understanding.” The second is St.
Frances de Chantel who taught: “Suffering borne in the will quietly and patiently
is a continual, very powerful prayer before God.”
We are grateful to those who stand
by us who try hard to stand up again from
Ruby’s aftermath.
Eucharistic “miracle” at the Priests’ Home
Ma. Natividad Bagas
After Typhoon Ruby hovered over Borongan City for around 6 hours, the people saw the extent of the devastation that
it wrought to the locality. One of most affected areas is the Priests’ Home located
behind the Seminary of Jesus Nazareno
(SJN) at Campesao, Borongan City. There
was a severe flooding in the area and the
water level from the nearby Loom River almost reached the first floor’s roofing of the
complex.
The night before, flashfloods caused
the whole place to be almost submerged
Thought for Thought...(from p.5)
way of saying, “Flee”. That we did not
was our pastoral statement as clearly
laid out for the Lord’s flock as that of the
shepherd looking for a lost sheep.
Three, the simple act of sufferingwith-our-people may not be as dramatic
as actually dying for them. But it was
equally shepherd-like. The wolf, a violent one, came. But we did not run away.
Staying put was our simple way of saying
to our people: “We may not be saints or
even exemplary pastors. But we will not
abandon you even in moments of danger. At least, as long as you and I have a
chance of getting out of it with our heads
and faith intact.”
Four, learning the lessons of Yolanda
hard have made us realize that, as in basket ball, the best defense is the best offense. So we set down to make detailed
preparations, resolving to nail down the
extra lawanit wood sheets onto windows
or doors, or storing water and canned
food. Then we took to helping and exhorting people in danger zones to obey
local authorities and evacuate, with special attention and care for the sick, the
elderly, the handicapped. The result: the
casualties went from zero to the barest
minimum, despite the horrors of physical
devastation.
Five, suffering with our people was
certainly not hassle-free. Go ask the fathers of Seminario de Jesus Nazareno.
They guided hundreds of often panicstricken evacuees to safety amid the
peril of the first and the worst flooding
in the history of the institution since its
foundation. Rampaging waters reached
to the second floor of the chapel, just a
bit shy of the Blessed Sacrament tabernacle. In other areas most, if not all,
priests were sleepless leading their own
share of evacuees in battling floodings of
rectories from violent rain swipes of Super Typhoon Ruby. I remember apologiz-
12
ESTE! News
November-December 2014
TYPHOON RUBY (HAGUPIT) OPERATIONS
DIOCESE OF BORONGAN / DCSA - JP
Below is the table summarizing the current efforts for the relief operations of the Diocese of Borongan.
PARISH
MUNICIPALITY
QUANTITY OF INTERVENTION
SOURCE
DATE DELIVERED
St. Bonaventure Parish
St. Roch Parish
Our Lady of Assumption Parish
Balangkayan, Eastern Samar
Maydolong, Eastern Samar
Lalawigan, Borongan City, Eastern
Borongan City, Eastern Samar
Chapel of the Miraculous Medal
Sabang, Borongan City, Eastern Samar
Diocese
Diocese
Diocese
Diocese
Diocese
Diocese
Diocese
Caritas Manila
10-Dec
10-Dec
11-Dec
Nativity of Our Lady Cathedral Parish
650 FFP
520 FFP
1, 018 FFP
100 sacks of rice
16 boxes of beef loaf
130 FFP
10 boxes of Odong noodles
900 FFP
520 FFP
Diocese
9-Dec
585 FFP
Diocese
9-Dec
450 FFP
750 FFP
Diocese
Diocese
12-Dec
12-Dec
1, 428 FFP
Diocese
8-Dec
300 sacks of rice
12 boxes of corned beef
10 boxes of Ulam King
5 boxes of Odong noodles
12-Dec
Diocese
Diocese
Diocese
Diocese
Diocese
8-Dec
8-Dec
8-Dec
8-Dec
8-Dec
Maypangdan, Borongan City,
Eastern Samar
San Julian, Eastern Samar
Sulat, Eastern Samar
Taft, Eastern Samar
Can-Avid, Eastern Samar
Dolores, Eastern Samar
Hinolaso, Dolores, Eastern Samar
Maslog, Eastern Samar
Concepcion, Arteche, Eastern Samar
Oras, Eastern Samar
San Policarpo, Eastern Samar
Jipapad, Eastern Samar
Arteche, Eastern Samar
Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Seven Dolors Parish
St. Ignatius Parish
St. James the Greater Parish
Our Lady Queen of Angels
St. Joachim the Patriarch Parish
St. John the Baptist Parish
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish
Chapel of Immaculate Conception
St. Peter of Alcantara Parish
Mary Magdalene Parish
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish
St. Raymond Nonnatus Parish
TOTAL
9-Dec
11-Dec
12-Dec
6, 951 FFP
For Food Relief Interventions with the gray box, the Parish of St. Joachim the Patriarch in Dolores will be the distribution center for the parishes of Hinolaso (in Dolores) and Maslog.
Similarly, for Food Relief Interventions with black box in Concepcion (in Arteche), Oras, San Policarpo, Jipapad, and Arteche, the Parish of St. Peter of Alcantara in Oras will be the
distribution center. The parishes of Dolores and Oras have their own emergency response volunteer teams that will be tapped for the relief effort.
PARISH
Total No. of
Population
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
Jipapad, Eastern Samar
Parish of St. Raymund Nonnatus
Arteche, Eastern Samar
16169
Chapel of the Immaculate Conception
Concepcion, Arteche, Eastern Samar
No. Of Affected No. of Affected
HHs / Families
Individuals
Totally
Damaged
Homes
Partially
Damaged
Injured
Missing
Casualties
# of Families in
Evac Centers
# of People in
Evac Centers
Source
2405
9620
126
1426
3
PDRRMO 10-Dec PM
2698
7183
774
1741
3
Fr. Jun Elardo (partial summary)
900
Parish of St. Isidore the Farmer
Maslog, Eastern Samar
5295
1300
Parish of Mary Magdalene
San Policarpo, Eastern Samar
16827
Parish of St. Peter of Alcantara
Oras, Eastern Samar
684
3059
1143
1916
31000
8300
123
236
Parish of St. John the Baptist
Hinolaso, Dolores, Eastern Samar
8162
1553
Parish of St. Joachim the Patriarch
Dolores, Eastern Samar
32240
8953
Parish of Our Lady Queen of Angels
Can-avid, Eastern Samar
21154
4689
Parish of St. James the Greater
Taft Tubig, Eastern Samar
19704
4937
Parish of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Sulat, Eastern Samar
15520
3460
5295
Parish of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows
San Julian, Eastern Samar
13748
Food Packs, Shelter Kits, Hygiene
Kits, First Aid Kit, and Medicines
NDRRMC reported 432 displaced families and
Mayor Vivian Alvarez (for the
severe damage along highway barangays. Brgys.
Food packs, baby food, hygiene kits,
statistics) & Fr. Jonas Rebamontan
Capian, Iwayan, and Cagpile along the river are hard- and tarpaulins
(for the SitRep)
hit.
1079
929
1105
23
14860
819
1626
35
18755
1427
3003
19
1475
1992
68
3750
2
7006
LGU Dolores & MSWDO Paz
Basilia as of Dec. 8 AM
Mayor Germino as of 08-Dec AM
31
Rev. Amistoso as of 09-Dec 3PM
2
LGU Sulat
1396
852
6
19747
2685
5888
78
Parish of St. Roch
Maydolong, Eastern Samar
2908
13920
346
2300
2
Parish of St. Bonaventure
Balangkayan, Eastern Samar
2673
374
1739
Fr. Lentoy Tybaco 9-Dec
Parish of St. Anthony of Padua
Llorente, Eastern Samar
2982
13692
185
2583
MSWDO Lucila Cardona
Parish of St. Lawrence the Martyr
Balangiga, Eastern Samar
2500
9946
8
1446
6
Parish of St. Francis of Assisi
Mercedes, Eastern Samar
608
5
125
2
11924
28662
249
113018
LGU - 160 bags of rice, 58 boxes
of sardines, 110 boxes of noodles,
15 kilos of dried fish
MSWDO Josefina Paligutan as of
Dec. 8 AM
4
8573
66248
Partially damaged chapels in Brgys. Aguinaldo, Bato,
Buenavista, Carapdapan, Catumsan, and Kawulan
Assistance Received and From
Whom
Fr. Anthony Lugo (from
MDRRMO)
Cathedral Parish of the Nativity of Our Lady
Borongan, Eastern Samar
179819
Needs
Fr. Mike Gadicho (partial data)
109
TOTAL
Notable Events
2286
3
4
9002
1201
LGU San Julian
CDRRMO 8-Dec 7pm
Mayor's Office 11-Dec
Mayor's Office 11-Dec
3
8
3518
17087
A BEC representative from Brgy. San Vicente (island
barangay) submitted a report to the Parish of Sulat
indicating 221 PD shelters, and 107 TD shelters.
ESTE! News
November-December 2014
13
SAN POLICARPO
Photos by: LGU San Policarpo
Borongan Diocese comes to the aid of Typhoon Ruby survivors
Ma. Natividad Bagas
Eastern Samareños was left devastated
and vulnerable after the disastrous Super Typhoon Yolanda. After a year, people learned
to stand again on their own, to hope and have
faith. Somehow, people became afraid of what
will come next, but struggle to be more resilient in facing life threatening occurrences such
as typhoons. The Typhoon Ruby was yet another blow to the people of Samar.
When the first news of Typhoon Ruby
came out to hit Borongan City, the Social
Action of Borongan Diocese conducted immediately an emergency meeting. They were
updating on the typhoon’s course, planning
strategies, and dividing into different acting
groups for emergency response teams.
The clergy held a meeting right after Social Action’s emergency meeting. All possibilities were discussed such as evacuation areas,
prepositioning of relief goods and orientation
of what the groups should do prior, during and
after the typhoon. They also decided to operate the same diocesan structure they used
as emergency base after the super typhoon
Yolanda. The communications were handled
by the Commission on Mass Media Communications managed by Rev. Fr. Neil G. Tenefrancia; the finances were handled by the Finance
Team of Rev. Fr. Tito Abuda; the operations
were handled by the Seminary clergy led by
Rev. Fr. Antonio Alconaba; and the networking and linkaging were handled by the Social
Action Office managed by Rev. Fr. Juderick
Calumpiano.
Social Action group updates the weather
through PAGASA and is posted outside the
cathedral and was sent to different parokyas,
partners and networks.
Identified evacuation areas within Borongan Diocese were Bishop’s Residence,
parishes including Borongan Cathedral, catholic schools and seminaries. These places
were filled with evacuees of 3,487 families
from different Barangays, according to Borongan Diocese Social Action team.
In response to the calamity, relief opera-
tions have been mobilized by Borongan Diocese and Caritas Manila as soon as the roads
were passable. The reliefs were given to different areas hardly hit by Typhoon Ruby and
experienced flooding such as Brgy Sabang,
Borongan and the upland barangays. The Diocese distributed an initial of 1000 sacks according to the report.
Aside from food items, Borongan Diocese is to intervene in early recovery such
as distributing hygiene kits and tarpaulins for
temporary material for shelter. The tarpaulins
are to be donated by CRS and Caritas Germany through CBCP NASA.
The Diocese of Borongan also commits
in long term projects such as the provisions
of Palay seeds in lowland barangays to be facilitated for procurement as soon as possible.
The Diocese also plans in providing shelter
materials that will be committed from its partners once approved.
Rev. Fr. Juderick Paul “Odick” Calumpiano, Social Action Director, perceives that Ty-
phoon Ruby will not be the last typhoon Eastern Samar will experience. He said Disaster
Risk Reduction Program will be carried out to
prepare the communities to be resilient in the
next days to come.
Fr. Odick addresses the lay people of
Eastern Samar in regards to the increasing
intensity and frequent typhoon occurrences,
“In kamakusog hit bagyo siguro bunga na han
pagbag-o han at klima tungod hit aton dire
maupay nga pagtagad hit aton kalibungan.
Pag-urusa kita hin pag protektar hit aton kalibungan, labi na an pag-kontra hiton illegal
loggings ngan pagmina nga nakakahibang hit
aton kalibongan.”
“It bagyo dire la ngatanan magraot. Mayda daman hiton maupay nga nahihimo ha aton.
Mayda hiton maupay nga mensahe. Usa na hiton dida it pamukaw hit aton mga panlantaw
hit aton kinabuhi. Panlantaw hit aton mga buhat.” Fr. Odick added.
not know why it was so called, so they began
explaining that it was called Punta Mariabecause it was at this place that the image of
Maria was unloaded from the Spanish galleon.[20] The water from the spring of Hamorawon had curative powers not because a
good spirit (cahoynon) lived there—which was
probably the answer of the pre-Hispanic Boronganon—but because—and this is the reply
of the baptized Boronganon—the Blessed Virgin frequently bathed there. The Virgin Mary
became the patroness of the town because it
was to this place that the Galleon miraculously
brought her image.
C. The Conflation of Aetiologies
At the second stage, these aetiologies
were conflated. The Guintaguican aetiology was in time joined with the third aetiology. Thus, we have the story as recollected,
for example, by the late Conrado Balagapo,
which I reproduce without comment or correction: Tradition has it that the Image of the
Blessed Virgin of the Nativity first landed in
Gintagikan or Punta Maria. It seemed that
weather was always foul while there; the rearly
Boronganons thought that the Blessed Mother
wished to be enshrined a bit to the south; so
they sought for the place wrapped in mist or
“borong”, since then Borongan had enshrined
the image we have in its altar, as the beloved
Patroness.[21] Obviously, the common people had no longer any recollection as to how
the Virgin of the Nativity was chosen as their
patron. Also, it is to be noted that the belief in
the curative power of the water from Hamorawon spring is no doubt pre-Hispanic. But a
Christian explanation had supplanted the preHispanic credence, and so the belief arose if
the image of the Virgin at the parish church
could not be found from time to time, it was
because she was bathing at the Hamorawon
spring. Hence, its healing powers.
But this story was applied later to the box
that was unloaded at Guintaguican. Hence
the following account—I reproduce without
correction or comment—which says that the
image was missing in Punta Maria, only to be
found in Borongan: On the course of their trip
along Ibabao (Eastern Coast of Samar) and
dropped anchor at a certain shore, much to
the crew’s surprise, they found it easy to unload. The natives were happy to receive the
image. But the captain asked for the name
of the nearest biggest settlement, the villagers answered: Borongan. They built huts and
placed the image in a strategic place for everybody to adore. However, news would spread
in the entire village that the image was missing. Sometimes, it could be found in the nearest biggest settlement which is now Borongan
poblacion.[22] The conflation of these three
aetiologies gave rise to a form of the current
version of the Padul-ong story, like that one
which I quoted at the beginning of this talk.
In this version, the image of the Virgin had to
be delivered by the people of Punta Maria to
the Borongan port—which I will advert to in a
moment— by means of a boat. In the process
of conflation, of course, various elements of
the different stories were ignored, while others were at the same time added, to the effect
that the resulting version became laden with
historical improbabilities and inconsistencies
which people overlook.
D. The Historical Core of the Padulong Aetiologies
But the question may be raised. In regarding the stories behind the Padul-ong as
aetiologies, does this mean that these stories
are not true? Obviously, as I already commented, these stories contain a number of improbabilities so that they could not be entirely
considered as historical. But as in legends
and myths, some historical factors shaped
these aetiologies. I have already noted that
before the Spaniards came to Borongan, the
natives must have experienced some forms of
healing, after having bathed in the spring of
Hamorawon. And of course, the Natividad is
the patroness of Borongan, even though the
Boronganons could not explain the process
involved in the choice of the Virgin. What
about the unloading of the woman’s luggage?
I theorize that Boronganons have a recollection of an unloading of cargoes from a ship.
Historically, this is true, and one easily recalls
here what happened in the 1600s. It may be
recalled that at this time, the Dutch and the
Spaniards were enemies, and from time to
time, the former would come to Manila, blockading the city and seizing the galleons and
their priced cargoes.
In 1620, however, the Dutch, instead of
blockading Manila, went to San Bernardino
Strait near Laoang, Northern Samar, in three
ships to waylay the galleons coming from
Acapulco, Mexico. That year, two galleons,
San Nicolas (the flagship) and a patache (her
escort),were making a voyage to the Philippines under the command of Don Fernando
de Ayala. When Ayala saw the Dutch ships,
he fired the gun of the flagship and disabled
one of them. When the other two Dutch ships
maneuvered for firing position, night fell and
a commotion arose. Under cover of darkness, de Ayala raced southward along the
Eastern Samar coast, and landed in the port
of Borongan where he discharged his precious cargo before the Dutch could get hold of
them.[23] . Of course, the galleon did not land
in Guintaguican, but to me, this is the historical event that helped shape the tradition of the
landing of the Spanish ship that unloaded the
luggage, supposedly containing the image of
the Virgin.
Antigo...(from p.4)
named when the Spanish cura gave that name
after the place experienced 8 consecutive
days of storm and rain is obviously an etymological aetiology. The same may be said of
the explanation that the word Guiuan comes
fromguibang, or that Sulat originates from
suslatan or that Borongan is derived from borong[17]—these are aetiologies which are difficult to verify. Some of these, etymologically
erroneous as they are, in fact contradict older
aetiologies.[18] My theory is that the Padulong story is a cultic aetiology that legitimizes
the devotion to the Patroness. Thus, we can
make sense out of the historical inconsistencies and improbabilities of the story by utilizing an aetiological motif to interpret its various
elements.
B. The Three Original Aetiologies in the
Padul-ong Story
If it is a cultic aetiology, the question may
be raised: how did the story originate? I propose that the story developed this way. At the
first stage of the tradition, there were three
separate aetiologies. Later, these aetiologies
were conflated, giving rise to (a) variation(s) of
the present version of the narrative. Let me
first describe the first stage. At this stage,
there were three (3) originally distinct aetiologies that answer three questions: (1) Why is
Guintaguican called Punta Maria? (2) Why
does the water of Hamorawon Spring have
healing powers? (3) Why is the Natividad the
Patroness of Borongan? In the same way that
the people of Oras, not knowing why the town
was called by that name, told the story of the
eight days of storm and darkness,[19] so the
people in these parts, who were ignorant of
the answers to these questions, created an
aetiology or myth, if you please. To facilitate
navigation, the early Spanish sailors named a
body of land that sticks out as punta(reference
point), but the inhabitants of Guintaguican did
14
PAGE SPONSOR
ESTE! News
November-December 2014
EASTERN SAMAR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
(ESAMELCO)
Brgy. Cabong, Borongan City, Eastern Samar
SUMMARY OF FINAL DAMAGE REPORT OF DISTRIBUTION LINE AFFECTED
BY TYPHOON “RUBY” COVERING 3-PHASE (BACKBONE) AND LATERALS
SUBSTATION
FEEDER
TOTAL
Feeder A (Borongan, San Julian & part of Sulat)
48,346,713.87
Target Date of Energization
(Backbone Line Only)
Cabong S/S
Dec. 23, 2014
Feeder B (Maydolong, Balangkayan, Llorente & Hernani)
25,294,831.87
Feeder 1 (Sulat)
15,094,824.76
Dec. 23, 2014
Taft S/S
Feeder 2 (Taft, Can-avid, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo,
Arteche)
82,506,743.48
Jipapad, Maslog
Buenavista S/S
Dec. 30, 2014
Feeder C, D & E (Mac Arthur, Quinapondan, Salcedo, Mercedes, Guiuan, Giporlos, Balangiga & Lawaan)
TOTAL
3,301,534.02
174,544,648.00
Approved By:
[SGD.] Atty. JOSE MICHAEL EDWIN S AMANCIO, CPA
General Manager
Dec. 12, 2014
ESTE! News
November-December 2014
HAGUPIT
Siday ni Waray
Han imo ha amon paghapit
Naghatag ka hin puro kasakit
Inin dagat imo pa guin takyab
Nanhi-anod amon mga payag
Nagtikang na naman panuro
Mga luha hinin mga mata ko
Mga puy-anan imo guin anod
Ak’ damgo guin dara ha lawod
Mapakain pa man kami yana?
Panginabuhi imo na guin kuha
Pira ka anyos an am kabudlay
Guin ubos mo han im paglabay
Di’ kami na-uubosan hin pag-asa
Upod nam’ DIOS han langit ug tuna
Bis’ ano nga katalagman it pag-agi-an
Mayda kami DIOS nga am darangpan
15
BENEFACTORS
1. Alexius & Renzy Abella
12. Japeth & Jahzeel Abrugar
2. Alyson Gil Operario
13. Kier Andrie Gloria
3. Christopher Duran
14. Maria Grace Ida-Mirador
4. Crudua Family
15. Mary Ann Sabadlab
5. Dr. Macario Felicen Jr.
16. Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin 6. Dra. Lerma Badiola-Romero
Mabansag
7. Dwayne Andrei & Althea Chua
17. Mr. & Mrs. Joaquin 8. Edgardo Juaban
Lumagbas Sr.
9. Enriqueta Rodeles
18. Mr. & Mrs. Ruby Ann Balbin
10. Estanislao Gamalo
19. Mrs. Myrna Isaig & Family
11. Isabel Ariaso, Novy Navares &
20. SBM Joel Baldo & Family
Children Abelyn, Vincent & Kieth
21. Virginia Dalina
MOTHER BUTLER
Liturgical Center
DONORS
Dra. Evelyn Asebias, M.D.
Hon Byron M. Suyot
Lucy Foronda
Marcelo’s Place
We sell at reasonable prices: Religious Icons, Hosts, Mass Wine,
Bibles, Yukaristiya, Anawim, Candles,
Incense, Magic Charcoal, Audio CDs, Songbooks, etc.
Cathedral Compound, Borongan City
6800 Eastern Samar
16
ESTE! News
November-December 2014
RUBY “MYSTERY”. This photograph by Marie Grace Penachos went viral minutes after it was posted on Facebook alongside
the picture of the Virgin Mary enshrined at the Cathedral. It was taken at Baybay 2, Borongan City a few hours before the landfall of Typhoon Ruby on Dec. 6, 2014.
Malipayon Nga Pasko Ug
Mainuswagon Nga
from ESTE! NEWS
Bag-o Nga Tuig
Ha Iyo Ngatanan
from ESTE! News and TV13 Staff
-Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI