MANILA, Sept. 24, 2013— A Catholic bishop is appealing for aid in restoring livelihood and reconstructing destroyed houses and churches due to a recent typhoon that battered Batanes Island.
“First thing is that we would like to appeal for help especially for repairs and reconstruction of houses,” Batanes Bishop Camilo Gregorio said.
“It’s not so much with the food because that’s already being taken care of by the provincial government. The people really need construction materials in cash or in-kind,” he said.
The bishop said that the Typhoon Odette is the strongest to hit the province since 1988, destroying crops, property and infrastructure. It is also the most powerful storm to hit the country so far this year.
“For the first time in 25 years, this is the worst (typhoon) that we have ever experienced here in Batanes,” Gregorio said.
Despite the damages and power outages, the bishop, however, is still grateful that no casualties have been reported in the diocese.
“We are all safe and we thank God for that but the typhoon was really devastating and triggered damages to several parish churches and convents,” he added.
The super typhoon left three persons dead as of Monday because of drowning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.
The agency said the latest fatality is from Brgy. Pagasa in Tayson, Batangas, while the two others died because of drowning when their boat capsized in Dingalan, Aurora during the onslaught of the typhoon.
The NDRMMC said at least 10,406 families have been affected by the typhoon or 47,914 people in 23 towns and two cities in 11 provinces of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas and Cordillera. (CBCPNews)
