CBCP calls for prayer power vs 'Hagupit'

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Wednesday appealed to the faithful to pray for the people in Eastern Visayas who will be affected by entry of typhoon 'Hagupit' into the country. 

CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs chair and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said Filipinos should pray that no one in Hagupit's path be harmed, and that damage to property will be minimal. 

Hagupit is expected to make landfall in Eastern Visayas - the same area devastated by supertyphoon 'Yolanda' November last year. It is expected to bring 215 millimeters of rainfall which may cause flooding and landslides. 

Government authorities earlier said  that 44 provinces are potentially be affected by the typhoon. 

The bishop  also called on the families to be affected by the storm to always be ready to evacuate to safer grounds.

"Let us intensify our prayers that the in-coming typhoons will not cause much damage. Prayers help a lot. We appeal to the people to be prepared for the in-coming typhoons. Let us learn from the lessons on Yolanda. We also appeal to the people to be generous to help any area that will be damaged by the typhoons. It is time once more to show our solidarity with each other," Pabillo told Radyo Veritas.