Pope prays for ‘Milenyo’ victims

Pope Benedict XVI has offered prayers for those who perished and are still missing and those whose properties were destroyed by typhoon "Milenyo."

The Pope’s message was relayed through his Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, seven days after Milenyo hit the country last Sept. 28. Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Fernando Filoni sent the message to Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.

"Having learned with deep sadness of the serious damage inflicted by Typhoon Xungsane/Milenyo in the Philippines, the Holy Father offers fervent prayers for the dead, for those who are still missing, and for all those who have lost their homes. He prays that the relief effort will be swift and generous in its response and that normality may soon be restored," Cardinal Bertone said.

"Entrusting you and your people to the protection of Mary, comforter of the afflicted, he cordially imparts his apostolic blessing as a pledge of strength and peace in the Lord," he added.

Milenyo, with winds measuring 140 kilometers per hour, slammed into Metro Manila and the Bicol region last Sept. 28 and uprooted trees and tore down electric posts.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza immediately declared the city under a state of calamity. Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi also made a similar declaration.

Political differences were set aside as the city council unanimously approved in less than 30 minutes a resolution declaring Manila in a state of calamity and allowed the local government to utilize as much as P300 million to assist displaced families.

Meanwhile, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated $100,000 to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) for rehabilitating communities affected by Milenyo.

The donation was handed over to PNRC chairman and Sen. Richard Gordon by US Ambassador Kristie Kenney at the PNRC warehouse in Port Area, Manila yesterday.

"This donation from USAID will be used to provide food and non-food items to support at least 6,000 families affected by the flashfloods and landslides caused by typhoon Milenyo, Gordon said.

According to Gwen Pang, PNRC director for fund generation, the families that would benefit from the USAID assistance would be from Albay and Sorsogon, which are among the places hardest hit by the typhoon. — With Sheila Crisostomo, Paolo Romero