Mother asks for prayers for trapped UN worker

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga , Philippines  – A prominent pediatrician here appealed for prayers and help for her son, believed to be among those still trapped in the collapsed building of the United Nations in Haiti which has been devastated by a powerful earthquake.

Former provincial board member Dr. Leticia Yap told The STAR that she has lost communication with her son, Jerome Yap, 43, since the earthquake struck.

Leticia said Malacañang told her that Philippine peacekeeping personnel were helping in efforts to rescue people trapped in the UN building.

“He was home only recently and went back to Haiti only last Friday,” she said.

“Jerome just stayed home during his three-week visit to the country,” added Raffy Angeles, Jerome’s brother-in-law.

Leticia said Jerome has been a civilian employee of the UN for 15 years and has been stationed in Haiti for the last three years.

He was among UN personnel assigned to assist forces from various nations in their deployment to areas where they are most needed in Haiti, she said.

At one time, Jerome, a fine arts graduate from the University of Sto. Tomas, was also assigned by the UN to Liberia.

Leticia believes her son is among those still trapped in the collapsed UN building since the earthquake was reported to have struck at around  4:56 p.m. Tuesday (early Wednesday morning in Manila).

“At that time, Jerome was supposed to be in his UN office when the building collapsed,” she said. “I know he is still alive, so I ask for prayers from everybody for his rescue.”

Thankful

In a related development, a police officer who once served as personnel and finance officer of the UN peacekeeping force to Haiti, yesterday said he felt happy to learn that friends he left there are safe.

Superintendent Eric Noble, who has been cited as one of Metrobank Foundation’s outstanding policemen of the country, told The STAR in a telephone interview that the moment he learned about the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that toppled down buildings and killed many in Haiti, he immediately tried to contact his friends there via telephone and e-mail.

After learning that they were safe, he whispered a thanksgiving prayer to God.

“We were like siblings with our fellow peacekeeping contingent and overseas Filipino workers  and it pains me to learn this kind of tragedy that befell them,” Noble said.

Noble, a former police chief in his hometown of Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan, was in Haiti from February 2006 to November 2007, together with 42 other Filipino policemen as part of the UN peacekeeping force. - With Eva Visperas