ILOILO CITY - The president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said the tragedy in Barangay Guinsaugon, Saint Bernard town in Southern Leyte has "moved us to our knees in prayer" and called on social action centers of all dioceses in the country to extend assistance to the victims and to help in the rehabilitation programs.

"We contemplated on the unfathomable ways of God in the face of misfortunes that has befallen our country in the last couple of weeks," Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said in a statement expressing sympathy to the victims.

"With profound sympathy and concern for the families of the victims, we invoke the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary to console us in these trying times and bestow eternal rest unto those who perished," he added.

Lagdameo said the social action centers should coordinate all efforts and resources under the leadership of the National Secretariat for Social Action and with Maasin Bishop Precioso Cantillas in order more efficiently harness their disaster response programs and rehabilitation initiatives for the families of the victims of the calamity.

Lagdameo pointed out that even as the country grieves for the victims, comments in the media point to the people's carelessness and onslaughts against the environment. Some people also lament the delays in the implementation of reforestation programs that should have restored denuded forests," he said.

He said the people should look up to citizens and groups who have committed themselves to defend the environment against those who plunder the national patrimony and safety in pursuit of economic returns that neither alleviate the national economy nor improve the plight of the poor in this country.*NPB

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