Quake victims look forward to dining with the pope

CEBU, Philippines – The Biblical message, “Many are called but few are chosen,” aptly described the fate of five Boholanos, all earthquake victims, who were named to join 25 others from Eastern Visayas to meet and dine with Pope Francis in the latter’s visit in Leyte next month.

Bohol church officials said the five Boholanos are: Salome Israel of Tubigon town; Shirley Bongay of Loon; Niza Flores of Sagbayan; Veneranda Gentallan of Maribojoc; and Saturnino Barace of Antequera.

The Freeman had the opportunity to talk to three of them and hear their stories and wishes they would share with the Pontiff. Here they are:

Israel lost her right arm and broke her pelvic bone when the magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Bohol in October last year. The concrete post of her house fell on her arm, which had to be amputated, and caused her to be confined for about a month in a hospital.

She was happy to survive though from the catastrophe, which she said “has a purpose,” one of which is her chance to be closer to the pope that only a few could ever experience in their lifetime.

Israel is being taken care of by her auntie Elvira because her parents have separated, and that she did not know where they are now except for her only brother, John Ray, who she learned is now in Cebu.

She said she wanted to finish her studies on Hotel-Restaurant Service Technology at the Bohol Island State University-Clarin campus but maybe not anymore due to her physical condition.

Asked what she would do when she is to face-to-face with the pope for a few minutes, she said she would share her experiences on the earthquake and tell him her dream of having a prosthetics soon.

Like Israel, the 34-year-old Bongay lost her right arm during the earthquake when their newly-built house collapsed, pinning her under the rubble with her arm stuck by the weight of the concrete trusses and post, until rescuers took her out after more than nine hours.

Bongay, a native of Loon and works as a pharmacist in a drug store in Tagbilaran City, said, “It’s a joy to be with the pope, who she will tell that she wished to have her right arm back with the use of prosthetics.

Her mother Severa, a 71-year-old retired teacher, and father Virgilio, 69, said they lost their two-storey house built in 2001 but they lost more of the arm of Shirley, who was their second to the youngest of seven children, although they thanked God for letting her survive.

Flores of Sagbayan said her family lost their youngest son, Geevie, a 12-year-old Grade 7 pupil, to the earthquake. “I’m still mourning for the death of my son,” she tearfully said, as she recounted the trauma of that fateful day.

Flores was grateful to God that the rest of the family was not hurt when the earthquake destroyed their store at the public market. She also thanked the clergy, through Reverend Father Ariston Limocon, for giving her the chance to meet and dine with the pope.

With this ultimate chance of a lifetime, Flores said she will tell the pope of her wish: Peace on earth. —Text and Photos by Ric V. Obedencio