november-december 2014 ruby brings havoc to eastern...

BORONGAN CITY

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www.estenews.org Volume. 2 No. 10November-December 2014

RUBY BRINGS HAVOC TO EASTERN SAMAR

PAGASA named Hagupit (interna-tional name) as Ruby as it moved into the waters of the Philippines early December 4, 2014. Typhoon Ruby made its landfall at December 6, 2014 at 9:15 in the eve-ning in Dolores, Eastern Samar, maintain-ing its diameter at 600 km. Storm signals were up in several areas in Eastern Samar. Potential storm surge up to 4.5 meters high was also reported. People of Eastern Samar feared the surge as it might be a repeat of the super typhoon last year that left more than 7,000 dead or missing.

According to Philippines National Di-saster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), residents of coastal village and flood-prone areas had been moved to safer ground before Typhoon Ruby hit Eastern Samar. About 17,087 people in Eastern Samar have moved to

32 identified evacuation areas in the prov-ince. Among the evacuation areas are municipal halls, Capitol building, Bishop’s Residence, churches, seminaries, reli-gious and public schools.

In addition, government security forces were sent to the northern part of the Eastern Samar province on Saturday, when a report came from PAGASA that Typhoon Ruby will landfall in Dolores. Pre-ventive power blackout through the prov-ince was observed at nine in the morning of December 6.

Though Eastern Samareños had pre-pared, no one was prepared enough se-vere floods that submerge large parts of Eastern Samar. Assumptions had been made that the floods have been caused by deforestation of large part of Samar mountains. The worst affected areas

were the capital city of Borongan, and the towns of San Julian, Sulat, Taft, Can-avid, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Ji-papad and Maslog.

There were ten confirmed casual-ties in the province as of December 12; four were from San Mateo, all of whom drowned in floodwater. Eleven more peo-ple were still missing after the flood. Miss-ing persons were from San Mateo, Surok and San Gabriel.

In a report, Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez said that “the people did not fore-see the flood“.

All three rivers – Sabang, Loom and Suribao – surrounding the lowland baran-gays overflowed caused by heavy rain. The water level reached more than 12 feet in some areas of Borongan City. The upstream barangays also experienced

severe flooding, making all houses and schools be submerge in vast waters.

“I clung tightly on a small branch of tree when the water came rushing. I looked around and saw the water filled our place instantly. All I can see were roofs and half of the trees.” Mrs. Badiola, 53, a resident of San Jose, recalled her experi-ence during Typhoon Ruby.

Typhoon Ruby landfall areas were Dolores, Eastern Samar on December 6, 8pm to 10pm; Masbate on December 7, 8 am to 10 am; Sibuyan Island on December 7, 2 pm to 4 pm; Romblon on December 7, 5 pm to 7 pm; Tablas Island on December 7, 8pm to 10 pm; and Oriental Mindoro on December 8, 5am to 7 am. The typhoon shortly moved away from Philippines terri-tory into the South China Sea.

Ma. Natividad Bagas

THE GREAT FLOOD. Flash floods nearly submerge the Loom Bridge in Borongan City in the early morning of Dec. 7, 2014. (Photo by: Borongan Catholic TV 13)

ESTE! News2 November-December 2014

BORONGAN LOWLAND

Photos by: Borongan Catholic TV13

ESTE! News 3November-December 2014

BORONGAN UPLAND

Photos by: Quora Bee & Borongan Catholic TV13

EDITORIAL:

ANTIGOMSGR. LOPE C. ROBREDILLO, VG

GABA

BISHOP CRISPIN B. VARQUEZ, DDSIMPLE & HUMBLE THOUGHTS

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ESTE! – EASTERN SAMAR NEWS & VIEWS2ND FLOOR, BISHOP’S RESIDENCE, BORONGAN CITY

Diocesan Commission on Mass Media & Social Com-munications

“New Normal” is the term recent-ly used by people concerning climate change. This means that super typhoons accompanied by high-rise storm surges, strong earthquakes, extremely hot weath-er conditions and other forms of calamities are normal phenomena in these times. If these are the realities, we must also make new forms of responses to mitigate disas-ters when these “new normal” calamities come.

-----------------------------------Science and technology have already

gone a long way in inventing ways and ma-chines that alter the course of nature. For example, there are already ways of driving away rain clouds to keep a clear weather over a specified place for a specified time. On the other hand, when people need or want rain, there is already a way to “make” rain by cloud-seeding. Are there now sci-entists and technologists out there who are developing a way of chasing storms, and especially, super typhoons away from human habitats? Or are we only up to building evacuation centers and strat-

Usa nga diri malilikayan nga konskwensya han pag-ukoy dinhi ha kalibutan amo an pag-antos han mga karat-an nga dara han kinaiyahan. Samtang an tawo aanhi pa ha kalibutan, diri gud mahihimo nga maka-alinggawas hiya han mga kataragman nga dara han pagin diri perpekto han iya kinamumutangan.

Karuyag sidngon hini nga usa nga kinaiya han kalibutan nga angay kar-awaton amo an pagkamay-ada mga natural nga mga kalamidad: mga bagyo, mga linog, mga tsunami, mga pagbaha, mga pagbuto hit bulkan, ug iba pa. Ini ngatanan dara han kinaiya han kalibutan- mayda mga natural nga mga proseso nga ginsusunod han mga element ug mayda liwat pagkalain-lain han mga binuhat tikang han pinaka-perpekto ngadto han pinaka-ubos pa ha iya.

Kon sugad, aada na gud han istraktura han kalibutan an kadelikadohan nga ha panahon nga diri matitigo han tawo, an kalamidad puydi mahinabo. Ha takna nga diri pinamumulat, an kadak-an nga kataragman nahinanabo.

Kundi han mga kalamidad nga aton gin-antos yana, kinikita an mga pangilal-an nga an tawo dako an kasaypanan o mga baratunon. Diri kunta kita labis nga maapektohan hin tigda la ug hataas nga mga baha kon diri pa naton gin-aabusaran an kagurangan- pinaagi hin waray hunong nga pamulod hin kahoy, iresponsable nga pag-mina ug iba pa. Diri pa kunta nagigin sugad kamabangis an hangin kon mayda pa naton kakahuyan nga masasalipdan.

Oo, kaupod ta an kalamidad ha takna pala nga natatawo kita hini nga kalibutan. Pero mayda mga kalamidad nga kanan tawo mga binuhatan. Siring pa han katigurangan: “An Dios, magpapasaylo; kundi diri an kinaiyahan.”

“An gaba nahilaba, an gabtol nakirogtol.”

egizing rescue and relief operations? Are we only up to reaping the consequences of the many alterations we have done to nature which makes it strike back?

--------------------------------God, the Creator of all things, is a God

of order. He created nature with laws that keep everything in it in proper order. Even our simple forefathers who did not study in universities understood that nature has a way of healing itself. We consider the super typhoons as calamities but they are merely consequences of our acts of alter-ing the courses of nature. Nature impera-tively has to heal itself. When we stand in its way, we suffer.

-----------------------------------Experience has proven that those

who believe will be saved. The difference between Yolanda and Ruby in their extent of devastating families and claiming hu-man lives is not in their path nor in their strength. The difference is in the people’s responses to the warnings. They were not

THE PADUL-ONG FESTIVAL (OF BO-RONGAN, EASTERN SAMAR)--A CULTIC

AETIOLOGY?

A Religio-Historical and Literary-Critical Once-Over at the Padul-ong “Tradition”

PART III

A LITERARY-CRITICAL VIEW OF THE PADUL-ONG “TRA-DITION”

From a literary standpoint, how are we to understanding thepadul-ong story?[12] It is instructive that the brochure on the “tradition”, “Padul-ong Festival,” uses various words to describe it: myth, legend, and tale.[13] Actu-ally, these terms, as far as I am concerned, are legitimate. After all, there is no agreed definition on these literary genres. Besides, the differences between these terms are so fluid that each author has almost a different way of using these terms. But as a biblical scholar who has been engaged in the study of the literary genres of the Bible, I would like to treat the padul-ong narrative as an aetiol-ogy, though I would not cavil with someone who would consider it as a legend or myth.[14] But for my purpose, I would prefer to place it under the rubric of aetiology, following the

great literary critic, Herman Gunkel, a German scholar, whose study of legends remains in-fluential.[15]

A.The Padul-ong Story: A Cultic Ae-tiology

What is aetiology? Aetiology is a term used to designate a story that is designed to explain how an existing phenomenon in na-ture, custom or institution came into being by recounting a past event which is taken to be the effective cause of that phenomenon. As a starting point, Gunkel asserts that aetiological stories are answers to questions—man looks at things and ask why. Thus, he classifies these stories in terms of the kind of questions that he assumes to lie behind the answers embodied in the narrative. Gunkel gives four types: (1) ethnological aetiology, which gives reasons for relations among tribal groups; (2) etymological aetiology, which explains the names of persons and places; (3) cultic aetiol-ogy, which accounts for the origin of religious rites and customs; and (4) geological aetiol-ogy, which explains the origin of a particular locality or geological formation. [16] In East-ern Samar history and culture, one (1) and four (4) are not common, but the second is recur-rent. The story that the town of Oras was so

ESTE! News4

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November-December 2014

PACIFYING MOTHER EARTH’S FURY“WE STOOD BY OUR PEOPLE THROUGH SUPER TY-PHOON RUBY, WE WILL STAND BY THEM BEYOND…”

LEGAL INSIDERATTY. MAU OBON

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THOUGHT FOR THOUGHTREV. EUTIQUIO ‘EULY’ B. BELIZAR, JR., SThD

In the Bible, the book of Genesis tells us that God gave man dominion over nature. However, for the people who has braved nearly eight feet high river spills, endured the ear splitting howl of raging winds that seemed to go on for eternity, and struggled against the sea waters rushing madly to thrash its fury against anyone or anything that stands on its way; it is man that is being sub-dued by nature.

Don’t get me wrong, everything that God does is good and it was never His intention for man to get a beating from Mother Earth. It was just unfortunate that man have misunderstood God’s grant of dominion to include the abuse and mis-use of His creation. What is even more tragic is that, when Mother Earth decides to avenge herself for all the cruelty which man has made her to suffer, she doesn’t just strike at her bullies but also the in-nocent ones.

Luckily, Lady Justice’s vigilance has opened the portals to the Halls of Justice to those who care about Mother Earth, not only after she is violated but also when she is threatened by it. Thus, pro-environment individuals and groups can now seek environmental justice under the Philippine laws.

Embedded in the 1987 Constitu-tion is the people’s right to balanced and healthful ecology which states that “The State shall protect and advance the right

of the people to a balanced and health-ful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.”

This Constitutional provision was given fangs and teeth by Supreme Court when it promulgated the Rules of Pro-cedure for Environmental Cases (“the Rules”) which took effect on April 29, 2010. The Rules carved out the man-ner by which the concerned individuals and groups can seek redress before the courts through civil, criminal, and spe-cial civil actions involving enforcement or violations of environmental and other related laws, rules and regulations .

Even before the Rules came into effect, the Supreme Court has already shed a light on the people’s right to bal-anced and healthful ecology in the case of OPOSA vs. FACTORAN (G.R. No. 101083; July 30, 1993). The Petitioners in this case were minors, who asserted that they represent their generation as well as generations yet unborn. Interestingly, the Supreme Court declared in this case that a suit can be brought in behalf of future generations. In concurring with the Peti-tioners, it said that “Their personality to sue in behalf of the succeeding genera-tions can only be based on the concept of intergenerational responsibility insofar as the right to a balanced and healthful ecology is concerned.”

The case of OPOSA vs. FACTORAN

I admit I feel very ill at ease talking about our own clergy, let alone praise them. At least in our local Church, the Borongan Diocese, we know each other’s strengths and (especially) weaknesses only too well to seek to heap accolades on one another without sounding hollow.

But on the Wednesday follow-ing Ruby’s violent and catastrophic visit, December 10, 2014, as parish priest af-ter parish priest from Llorente to Arteche reported on the conditions of his parish, how his flock and he survived Super Ty-phoon Ruby, I was in near awe. Virtually all of them and their companion priests where there are team ministries chose to be with their flock rather than flee to safety. They went through the same dan-gers of violent winds, with some getting close calls, huge flash flooding especially in Seminario de Jesus Nazareno our high school seminary, and still surviving and being able to help save a few individu-als and families even in their vulnerable churches and rectories.

The message that rang through their personal testimonies was loud and

clear: “We stood by our people through Super Typhoon Ruby; we will stand by them beyond.”

Why would this message be given any weight at all?

First, because during Super Ty-phoon Yolanda a number of victims and survivors terribly missed the presence of the clergy in the Ground Zero of their suffering and devastation. But this could not be said of the Borongan clergy, even from among those who had a previously arranged pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2013.

Two, we had a choice to seek safety and protection outside our parish-es. As early as December 3, 2014, while deliberating on the new financial system of the diocese, we were told the super typhoon was definitely heading our way, the first landfall estimate being the next day, in the afternoon. We cut our discus-sions short and started to focus instead on the necessary preparations for Ruby. Even then we were advised to seek se-cure places or areas, which was another

ESTE! News 5

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RIVIER CORNERPM Sisters

The Campus Youth Ministry in Eastern Samar State University, imploring the aid of the Divine Providence, in order to serve their fellow youth, shall embody their goal to respond more generously to God’s call to holiness; hence, become true disciples of Jesus Christ and visible examples of Christian values with a true missionary spirit.

The members of this organization commit themselves to:• develop the life of prayer among members;• deepen the knowledge of Jesus Christ, of His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Saints and other models of faith and holiness in the Church;• take everything as opportunity to live the Christian virtues and attitudes;• know and be ready to defend the Church’s stand on relevant issues; and• live its mission: “Youth Serving Youth” through the different ministries that fit each one’s interest and capabilities.

Each member is a student officially enrolled in Eastern Samar State University, Borongan, Eastern Samar; has a sincere desire to grow in his /her spiritual life; willing to participate in all its activities; and ready to commit for its mission which is “Youth-Serving-Youth”.


FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF EASTERN SAMAR THROUGH THE DIOCESE OF BORONGAN:

ACCOUNT NAME: Roman Catholic Bishop of Borongan - Disaster FundACCOUNT NUMBER: 390-7-39000845-3BANK: Metrobank-Borongan Branch ADDRESS: Abogado St., Borongan CitySWIFT CODE: mbtcphmm

NOTE: For easier and faster acknowledgement of your cash dona-tions, please send to us the following:

1. Date and amount of donation 2. Scanned deposit slip 3. Address to whom the Acknowledgement Receipt will be mailed.


SAN JULIAN / TAFT / ORAS

Photos by: Bro. Kenneth Cainday & Arnel Balatay


CAN-AVID / DOLORES

Photos by: Bro. Kenneth Cainday & Bem Germino


NATIVITY OF OUR LADY COLLEGE SEMINARY - BORONGAN



CONCEPCION MISSION STATION - ARTECHE

well-prepared for Yolanda because they did not believe the authorities’ warnings. In Ruby, they believed and so they were saved.

-------------------------We can never thank God enough for

the gift of our faith. He saves us by giving us this gift of our faith. Our faith makes us prepare for eventualities and yet, it gives us peace amidst anxieties because it as-sures us that the Creator who alone has the right to alter nature’s course cares for us.

-------------------------------Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in their life

on earth, believed in and obeyed God’s word. By their faith, salvation has come to us. Our experience of Ruby reminds us of one important message of Christmas – faith and salvation are significantly and directly related.

also suggests that this right concerns nothing less than self-preservation and self-perpetuation. It need not even be written in the Constitution for they are assumed to exist from the in-ception of humankind. Hence, when man abuses Mother Earth, he is not only causing damage to the environ-ment, but he is also violating the right of the present population, as well as the right of future generations, to fully enjoy a balanced and healthful ecol-ogy. Every time that man ravages the earth, he is actually condemning his offspring to inherit a parched earth in-capable of sustaining life.

In hindsight, the super typhoons

Yolanda and Ruby may not have been Mother Earth’s revenge but her cries for help. Indeed, a few years ago, environ-mental cases were totally unheard of for some people. The recent promulgation of the Rules could only mean that man’s destructive ways are getting out of hand. It could also mean that whatever is left of the natural world is already at a critical level that it needs the hand of the law protect it. Hopefully, there will be people who are fearless enough to exploit the Rules to pacify Mother Earth’s fury.

But, my personal wish is that the Rules won’t be of any use because the recent calamities have taught man to

become faithful stewards of God’s cre-ation. As the Catechism of the Catho-lic Church teaches: “In God’s plan man and woman have the vocation of “subduing” the earth as stewards of God. This sovereignty is not to be an arbitrary and destructive domination. God calls man and woman, made in the image of the Creator “who loves everything that exists,” to share in his providence toward other creatures; hence their responsibility for the world God has entrusted to them.”

Sec. 16, Art. II, 1987 Constitution Supreme Court A.M. 09-6-8-SC Sec. 2, Rule I, A.M. 09-6-8-SC

Simple and Humble...(from p.4)Legal Insider...(from p.5)


Photos by: Bro. James Abella


SEMINARIO DE JESUS NAZARENO - CAMPESAO, BORONGAN



The Diocese of Borongan is preparing intently for Pope Francis’ visit next year on the 17th of January. The three Papal events the Diocese of Borongan looking forward to are the Papal mass, Papal lunch with the Typhoon Yolanda victims, and the Papal audience, which will be held consecutively.

The Diocese of Borongan can send, as of now, 5000 registered delegates to the Papal Mass at Tacloban City International Airport at 9:30 in the morning. It is allocated to various parishes and religious commu-nities serving within the diocese. The del-egates to the Papal events are requested to bring their own food and arrange their own

transportation to and from Tacloban City.Pope Francis’ lunch with the Typhoon

Yolanda victims will be held at Gonzaga House, Bishop’s Residence at Palo, Leyte. The delegates to lunch with the Pope were identified by the Parish Priests of hardly hit towns of Typhoon Yolanda, all came from the most vulnerable families. The selection was based on Parish class. Class A par-ishes have 130 delegates; class B parishes have 100 delegates; and 70 delegates for class C parishes.

The Audience with the Pope will com-mence at 2:00 in the afternoon at Palo Metropolitan Cathedral. It will be attended

by the local clergy and religious men and women serving the Diocese of Borongan.

The Diocese of Borongan is assigned to wear white T-shirts during these events. This will allow identification and also as an added security measure. Delegates can bring their and wear their own white T-shirts to the site. However, the Diocese will be printing personalized T-shirts with the Pa-pal visit logo and other details. [If interested to buy a T-shirts, please visit the Mass Me-dia office at 2nd Floor, Bishops Residence, Borongan City together with your payment. It will be distributed a few days before the event.] Please note well that buying the said

T-shirts is NOT OBLIGATORY but only OP-TIONAL.

Those who are not registered are wel-come to the Papal events but will not be able to access the sites and only those registered and provided with IDs can enter. Every registered delegate will pass through security check. It is encouraged that the events are to be attended with people who are physically fit and able. Those who can endure long hours of standing, all-weather outdoor event, or can handle long distanc-es of walking as the arrangement of parking of vehicles is still unclear until now.

Borongan Diocese gears up for Papal VisitMa. Natividad Bagas

After Typhoon Ruby hovered over Bo-rongan City for around 6 hours, the peo-ple saw the extent of the devastation that it wrought to the locality. One of most af-fected areas is the Priests’ Home located behind the Seminary of Jesus Nazareno

in water so that a resident from Campesao, who evacuated tp SJN with his family said that when he looked outside the windows, only vast waters can be seen and they were like a ship coursing through the sea.

The Priests’ Home chapel has, like any other chapel, an altar with crucifix and tab-ernacle. The tabernacle was covered with thin lace with a sanctuary lamp burning next to it. During the typhoon Ruby, the wa-ter level in the chapel reached and stopped at the base of the tabernacle, no more no less. In fact, the marks of the dirt and water line are still visible on the walls even until now.

Everything in the chapel were covered with mud, became wet, dirty and damaged. But the lamp was still burning, the lace veil was still in place- perfectly the way it was placed, and the upper surface of the base of tabernacle base was immaculate-clean.

Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez, to-gether with some priests & seminarians vis-ited the Priests’ Home in the early morning of December 7 to check the people there, even when the winds were still strong. They

themselves witnessed the incident and documented it through some photographs.

December 7, Sunday afternoon, the day after the landfall, Bishop Varquez re-called in his homily: “Sometimes we just ignore and don’t really appreciate the pres-ence of the Holy Sacrament- of the Lord in our very midst. But the incident at the Priests’ Home powerfully points out to us the fact that He is alive, He is here, He is with us especially during our times of trou-bles. And He always reminds us that He is the Master of all creation, He is the Lord of all the earth, and that He is the King even over the flood.”

One priest stationed in Cebu City who knew about the incident through the social media, since the incident went viral on Face-book in the days following Typhoon Ruby, easily connected the event to the story of Jesus and his disciples as they weather a storm in a boat: “The Lord is asleep, undis-turbed by the strong winds and waves. And He said: Be still! It happened before, and so it can happen again now.”

Eucharistic “miracle” at the Priests’ HomeMa. Natividad Bagas

(SJN) at Campesao, Borongan City. There was a severe flooding in the area and the water level from the nearby Loom River al-most reached the first floor’s roofing of the complex.

The night before, flashfloods caused the whole place to be almost submerged

way of saying, “Flee”. That we did not was our pastoral statement as clearly laid out for the Lord’s flock as that of the shepherd looking for a lost sheep.

Three, the simple act of suffering-with-our-people may not be as dramatic as actually dying for them. But it was equally shepherd-like. The wolf, a vio-lent one, came. But we did not run away. Staying put was our simple way of saying to our people: “We may not be saints or even exemplary pastors. But we will not abandon you even in moments of dan-ger. At least, as long as you and I have a chance of getting out of it with our heads and faith intact.”

Four, learning the lessons of Yolanda hard have made us realize that, as in bas-ket ball, the best defense is the best of-fense. So we set down to make detailed preparations, resolving to nail down the extra lawanit wood sheets onto windows or doors, or storing water and canned

food. Then we took to helping and ex-horting people in danger zones to obey local authorities and evacuate, with spe-cial attention and care for the sick, the elderly, the handicapped. The result: the casualties went from zero to the barest minimum, despite the horrors of physical devastation.

Five, suffering with our people was certainly not hassle-free. Go ask the fa-thers of Seminario de Jesus Nazareno. They guided hundreds of often panic-stricken evacuees to safety amid the peril of the first and the worst flooding in the history of the institution since its foundation. Rampaging waters reached to the second floor of the chapel, just a bit shy of the Blessed Sacrament tab-ernacle. In other areas most, if not all, priests were sleepless leading their own share of evacuees in battling floodings of rectories from violent rain swipes of Su-per Typhoon Ruby. I remember apologiz-

ing profusely to my “guests”, about forty evacuees, for their “wet” stay at the rec-tory. To my surprise, almost all the other priests in affected areas shared the same experience. And yet I thought that suf-fering with our people became another authentic chance at bonding between shepherds and sheep. We had commu-nion not only in church but also in suf-fering.

Finally, Super Typhoon Ruby which came on the heels of Super Typhoon Yolanda is a grim reminder to all of us of what our people and clergy can expect in the next few days, months or years. We must constantly ask the hard questions. Are Yolanda and Ruby really the “new normal” catastrophic realities we have to deal with yearly or even quarterly? How ready are we for these samples of climate-change-induced horrors? What sort of preparation would be sufficient to both save lives and reduce property

losses to the minimum? Given that we are not the worst contributors to climate change, must we not seek ecological justice from its more pronounced perpe-trators, the big industrialized countries of the First World? How do we go about achieving real ecological justice, i.e., giv-ing the environment its due care and ca-lamity victims their due assistance and/or compensation?

Two great saints give us words of consolation after Ruby. The first is St. John of the Cross who said: “The purest suffering bears and carries in its train the purest understanding.” The second is St. Frances de Chantel who taught: “Suffer-ing borne in the will quietly and patiently is a continual, very powerful prayer be-fore God.”

We are grateful to those who stand by us who try hard to stand up again from Ruby’s aftermath.

Thought for Thought...(from p.5)

FEATURE



TYPHOON RUBY (HAGUPIT) OPERATIONS DIOCESE OF BORONGAN / DCSA - JP

Below is the table summarizing the current efforts for the relief operations of the Diocese of Borongan.

PARISH MUNICIPALITY QUANTITY OF INTERVENTION SOURCE DATE DELIVERED

St. Bonaventure Parish Balangkayan, Eastern Samar 650 FFP Diocese 10-DecSt. Roch Parish Maydolong, Eastern Samar 520 FFP Diocese 10-Dec

Our Lady of Assumption Parish Lalawigan, Borongan City, Eastern 1, 018 FFP Diocese 11-Dec

Nativity of Our Lady Cathedral Parish Borongan City, Eastern Samar 100 sacks of rice Diocese16 boxes of beef loaf Diocese

Chapel of the Miraculous Medal Sabang, Borongan City, Eastern Samar130 FFP Diocese 9-Dec

10 boxes of Odong noodles Diocese 11-Dec900 FFP Caritas Manila 12-Dec

Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Maypangdan, Borongan City,Eastern Samar 520 FFP Diocese 9-Dec

Our Lady of Seven Dolors Parish San Julian, Eastern Samar 585 FFP Diocese 9-DecSt. Ignatius Parish Sulat, Eastern Samar

St. James the Greater Parish Taft, Eastern Samar 450 FFP Diocese 12-DecOur Lady Queen of Angels Can-Avid, Eastern Samar 750 FFP Diocese 12-Dec

St. Joachim the Patriarch Parish Dolores, Eastern Samar1, 428 FFP Diocese 8-DecSt. John the Baptist Parish Hinolaso, Dolores, Eastern Samar

St. Isidore the Farmer Parish Maslog, Eastern SamarChapel of Immaculate Conception Concepcion, Arteche, Eastern Samar 300 sacks of rice

12 boxes of corned beef10 boxes of Ulam King

5 boxes of Odong noodles 12-Dec

Diocese 8-DecSt. Peter of Alcantara Parish Oras, Eastern Samar Diocese 8-Dec

Mary Magdalene Parish San Policarpo, Eastern Samar Diocese 8-DecOur Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish Jipapad, Eastern Samar Diocese 8-Dec

St. Raymond Nonnatus Parish Arteche, Eastern Samar Diocese 8-Dec

TOTAL 6, 951 FFP

For Food Relief Interventions with the gray box, the Parish of St. Joachim the Patriarch in Dolores will be the distribution center for the parishes of Hinolaso (in Dolores) and Maslog. Similarly, for Food Relief Interventions with black box in Concepcion (in Arteche), Oras, San Policarpo, Jipapad, and Arteche, the Parish of St. Peter of Alcantara in Oras will be the distribution center. The parishes of Dolores and Oras have their own emergency response volunteer teams that will be tapped for the relief effort.

PARISHTotal No. of Population

No. Of Affected HHs / Families

No. of Affected Individuals

Totally Damaged

Homes

Partially Damaged Injured Missing Casualties # of Families in

Evac Centers# of People in Evac Centers Source Notable Events Needs Assistance Received and From

Whom

Our Lady of the Most Holy RosaryJipapad, Eastern Samar 2405 9620 126 1426 3 PDRRMO 10-Dec PM

Parish of St. Raymund NonnatusArteche, Eastern Samar 16169 2698 7183 774 1741 3 Fr. Jun Elardo (partial summary) Partially damaged chapels in Brgys. Aguinaldo, Bato,

Buenavista, Carapdapan, Catumsan, and KawulanFood Packs, Shelter Kits, Hygiene Kits, First Aid Kit, and Medicines

Chapel of the Immaculate ConceptionConcepcion, Arteche, Eastern Samar 900 Fr. Mike Gadicho (partial data)

Parish of St. Isidore the FarmerMaslog, Eastern Samar 5295 1300 5295 109 684 Fr. Anthony Lugo (from

MDRRMO)

Parish of Mary MagdaleneSan Policarpo, Eastern Samar 16827 3059 1143 1916 4 MSWDO Josefina Paligutan as of

Dec. 8 AM

LGU - 160 bags of rice, 58 boxes of sardines, 110 boxes of noodles, 15 kilos of dried fish

Parish of St. Peter of AlcantaraOras, Eastern Samar 31000 8300 123 236

Mayor Vivian Alvarez (for the statistics) & Fr. Jonas Rebamontan

(for the SitRep)

NDRRMC reported 432 displaced families and severe damage along highway barangays. Brgys. Capian, Iwayan, and Cagpile along the river are hard-hit.

Food packs, baby food, hygiene kits, and tarpaulins

Parish of St. John the BaptistHinolaso, Dolores, Eastern Samar 8162 1553 1079

Parish of St. Joachim the PatriarchDolores, Eastern Samar 32240 8953 929 1105 23 2 7006

Parish of Our Lady Queen of AngelsCan-avid, Eastern Samar 21154 4689 14860 819 1626 35 Mayor Germino as of 08-Dec AM

Parish of St. James the GreaterTaft Tubig, Eastern Samar 19704 4937 18755 1427 3003 19 31 Rev. Amistoso as of 09-Dec 3PM

Parish of St. Ignatius of LoyolaSulat, Eastern Samar 15520 3460 1475 1992 68 2 LGU Sulat

A BEC representative from Brgy. San Vicente (island barangay) submitted a report to the Parish of Sulat indicating 221 PD shelters, and 107 TD shelters.

Parish of Our Lady of Seven SorrowsSan Julian, Eastern Samar 13748 3750 1396 852 6 2286 9002 LGU San Julian

Cathedral Parish of the Nativity of Our LadyBorongan, Eastern Samar 8573 19747 2685 5888 78 3 4 1201 CDRRMO 8-Dec 7pm

Parish of St. RochMaydolong, Eastern Samar 2908 13920 346 2300 2

Parish of St. BonaventureBalangkayan, Eastern Samar 2673 374 1739 Fr. Lentoy Tybaco 9-Dec

Parish of St. Anthony of PaduaLlorente, Eastern Samar 2982 13692 185 2583 MSWDO Lucila Cardona

Parish of St. Lawrence the MartyrBalangiga, Eastern Samar 2500 9946 8 1446 6 Mayor's Office 11-Dec

Parish of St. Francis of AssisiMercedes, Eastern Samar 608 5 125 2 Mayor's Office 11-Dec

TOTAL 179819 66248 113018 11924 28662 249 3 8 3518 17087

LGU Dolores & MSWDO Paz Basilia as of Dec. 8 AM


named when the Spanish cura gave that name after the place experienced 8 consecutive days of storm and rain is obviously an etymo-logical aetiology. The same may be said of the explanation that the word Guiuan comes fromguibang, or that Sulat originates from suslatan or that Borongan is derived from bo-rong[17]—these are aetiologies which are dif-ficult to verify. Some of these, etymologically erroneous as they are, in fact contradict older aetiologies.[18] My theory is that the Padul-ong story is a cultic aetiology that legitimizes the devotion to the Patroness. Thus, we can make sense out of the historical inconsisten-cies and improbabilities of the story by utiliz-ing an aetiological motif to interpret its various elements.

B. The Three Original Aetiologies in the Padul-ong Story

If it is a cultic aetiology, the question may be raised: how did the story originate? I pro-pose that the story developed this way. At the first stage of the tradition, there were three separate aetiologies. Later, these aetiologies were conflated, giving rise to (a) variation(s) of the present version of the narrative. Let me first describe the first stage. At this stage, there were three (3) originally distinct aetiolo-gies that answer three questions: (1) Why is Guintaguican called Punta Maria? (2) Why does the water of Hamorawon Spring have healing powers? (3) Why is the Natividad the Patroness of Borongan? In the same way that the people of Oras, not knowing why the town was called by that name, told the story of the eight days of storm and darkness,[19] so the people in these parts, who were ignorant of the answers to these questions, created an aetiology or myth, if you please. To facilitate navigation, the early Spanish sailors named a body of land that sticks out as punta(reference point), but the inhabitants of Guintaguican did

not know why it was so called, so they began explaining that it was called Punta Mariabe-cause it was at this place that the image of Maria was unloaded from the Spanish gal-leon.[20] The water from the spring of Ham-orawon had curative powers not because a good spirit (cahoynon) lived there—which was probably the answer of the pre-Hispanic Bo-ronganon—but because—and this is the reply of the baptized Boronganon—the Blessed Vir-gin frequently bathed there. The Virgin Mary became the patroness of the town because it was to this place that the Galleon miraculously brought her image.

C. The Conflation of AetiologiesAt the second stage, these aetiologies

were conflated. The Guintaguican aetiol-ogy was in time joined with the third aetiol-ogy. Thus, we have the story as recollected, for example, by the late Conrado Balagapo, which I reproduce without comment or cor-rection: Tradition has it that the Image of the Blessed Virgin of the Nativity first landed in Gintagikan or Punta Maria. It seemed that weather was always foul while there; the rearly Boronganons thought that the Blessed Mother wished to be enshrined a bit to the south; so they sought for the place wrapped in mist or “borong”, since then Borongan had enshrined the image we have in its altar, as the beloved Patroness.[21] Obviously, the common peo-ple had no longer any recollection as to how the Virgin of the Nativity was chosen as their patron. Also, it is to be noted that the belief in the curative power of the water from Hamora-won spring is no doubt pre-Hispanic. But a Christian explanation had supplanted the pre-Hispanic credence, and so the belief arose if the image of the Virgin at the parish church could not be found from time to time, it was because she was bathing at the Hamorawon spring. Hence, its healing powers.

But this story was applied later to the box that was unloaded at Guintaguican. Hence the following account—I reproduce without correction or comment—which says that the image was missing in Punta Maria, only to be found in Borongan: On the course of their trip along Ibabao (Eastern Coast of Samar) and dropped anchor at a certain shore, much to the crew’s surprise, they found it easy to un-load. The natives were happy to receive the image. But the captain asked for the name of the nearest biggest settlement, the villag-ers answered: Borongan. They built huts and placed the image in a strategic place for every-body to adore. However, news would spread in the entire village that the image was miss-ing. Sometimes, it could be found in the near-est biggest settlement which is now Borongan poblacion.[22] The conflation of these three aetiologies gave rise to a form of the current version of the Padul-ong story, like that one which I quoted at the beginning of this talk. In this version, the image of the Virgin had to be delivered by the people of Punta Maria to the Borongan port—which I will advert to in a moment— by means of a boat. In the process of conflation, of course, various elements of the different stories were ignored, while oth-ers were at the same time added, to the effect that the resulting version became laden with historical improbabilities and inconsistencies which people overlook.

D. The Historical Core of the Padul-ong Aetiologies

But the question may be raised. In re-garding the stories behind the Padul-ong as aetiologies, does this mean that these stories are not true? Obviously, as I already com-mented, these stories contain a number of im-probabilities so that they could not be entirely considered as historical. But as in legends and myths, some historical factors shaped

these aetiologies. I have already noted that before the Spaniards came to Borongan, the natives must have experienced some forms of healing, after having bathed in the spring of Hamorawon. And of course, the Natividad is the patroness of Borongan, even though the Boronganons could not explain the process involved in the choice of the Virgin. What about the unloading of the woman’s luggage? I theorize that Boronganons have a recollec-tion of an unloading of cargoes from a ship. Historically, this is true, and one easily recalls here what happened in the 1600s. It may be recalled that at this time, the Dutch and the Spaniards were enemies, and from time to time, the former would come to Manila, block-ading the city and seizing the galleons and their priced cargoes.

In 1620, however, the Dutch, instead of blockading Manila, went to San Bernardino Strait near Laoang, Northern Samar, in three ships to waylay the galleons coming from Acapulco, Mexico. That year, two galleons, San Nicolas (the flagship) and a patache (her escort),were making a voyage to the Philip-pines under the command of Don Fernando de Ayala. When Ayala saw the Dutch ships, he fired the gun of the flagship and disabled one of them. When the other two Dutch ships maneuvered for firing position, night fell and a commotion arose. Under cover of dark-ness, de Ayala raced southward along the Eastern Samar coast, and landed in the port of Borongan where he discharged his pre-cious cargo before the Dutch could get hold of them.[23] . Of course, the galleon did not land in Guintaguican, but to me, this is the histori-cal event that helped shape the tradition of the landing of the Spanish ship that unloaded the luggage, supposedly containing the image of the Virgin.

Antigo...(from p.4)

Eastern Samareños was left devastated and vulnerable after the disastrous Super Ty-phoon Yolanda. After a year, people learned to stand again on their own, to hope and have faith. Somehow, people became afraid of what will come next, but struggle to be more resil-ient in facing life threatening occurrences such as typhoons. The Typhoon Ruby was yet an-other blow to the people of Samar.

When the first news of Typhoon Ruby came out to hit Borongan City, the Social Action of Borongan Diocese conducted im-mediately an emergency meeting. They were updating on the typhoon’s course, planning strategies, and dividing into different acting groups for emergency response teams.

The clergy held a meeting right after So-cial Action’s emergency meeting. All possibili-ties were discussed such as evacuation areas, prepositioning of relief goods and orientation of what the groups should do prior, during and after the typhoon. They also decided to op-erate the same diocesan structure they used

as emergency base after the super typhoon Yolanda. The communications were handled by the Commission on Mass Media Communi-cations managed by Rev. Fr. Neil G. Tenefran-cia; the finances were handled by the Finance Team of Rev. Fr. Tito Abuda; the operations were handled by the Seminary clergy led by Rev. Fr. Antonio Alconaba; and the network-ing and linkaging were handled by the Social Action Office managed by Rev. Fr. Juderick Calumpiano.

Social Action group updates the weather through PAGASA and is posted outside the cathedral and was sent to different parokyas, partners and networks.

Identified evacuation areas within Bo-rongan Diocese were Bishop’s Residence, parishes including Borongan Cathedral, cath-olic schools and seminaries. These places were filled with evacuees of 3,487 families from different Barangays, according to Bo-rongan Diocese Social Action team.

In response to the calamity, relief opera-

tions have been mobilized by Borongan Dio-cese and Caritas Manila as soon as the roads were passable. The reliefs were given to dif-ferent areas hardly hit by Typhoon Ruby and experienced flooding such as Brgy Sabang, Borongan and the upland barangays. The Dio-cese distributed an initial of 1000 sacks ac-cording to the report.

Aside from food items, Borongan Dio-cese is to intervene in early recovery such as distributing hygiene kits and tarpaulins for temporary material for shelter. The tarpaulins are to be donated by CRS and Caritas Ger-many through CBCP NASA.

The Diocese of Borongan also commits in long term projects such as the provisions of Palay seeds in lowland barangays to be fa-cilitated for procurement as soon as possible. The Diocese also plans in providing shelter materials that will be committed from its part-ners once approved.

Rev. Fr. Juderick Paul “Odick” Calumpi-ano, Social Action Director, perceives that Ty-

phoon Ruby will not be the last typhoon East-ern Samar will experience. He said Disaster Risk Reduction Program will be carried out to prepare the communities to be resilient in the next days to come.

Fr. Odick addresses the lay people of Eastern Samar in regards to the increasing intensity and frequent typhoon occurrences, “In kamakusog hit bagyo siguro bunga na han pagbag-o han at klima tungod hit aton dire maupay nga pagtagad hit aton kalibungan. Pag-urusa kita hin pag protektar hit aton ka-libungan, labi na an pag-kontra hiton illegal loggings ngan pagmina nga nakakahibang hit aton kalibongan.”

“It bagyo dire la ngatanan magraot. May-da daman hiton maupay nga nahihimo ha aton. Mayda hiton maupay nga mensahe. Usa na hi-ton dida it pamukaw hit aton mga panlantaw hit aton kinabuhi. Panlantaw hit aton mga bu-hat.” Fr. Odick added.

Borongan Diocese comes to the aid of Typhoon Ruby survivorsMa. Natividad Bagas

SAN POLICARPO

Photos by: LGU San Policarpo

EASTERN SAMAR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (ESAMELCO)

Brgy. Cabong, Borongan City, Eastern Samar

ESTE! News14 PAGE SPONSOR

SUMMARY OF FINAL DAMAGE REPORT OF DISTRIBUTION LINE AFFECTED BY TYPHOON “RUBY” COVERING 3-PHASE (BACKBONE) AND LATERALS


SUBSTATION FEEDER TOTAL Target Date of Energization (Backbone Line Only)

Cabong S/S

Feeder A (Borongan, San Julian & part of Sulat) 48,346,713.87

Dec. 23, 2014

Feeder B (Maydolong, Balangkayan, Llorente & Hernani) 25,294,831.87

Taft S/S

Feeder 1 (Sulat) 15,094,824.76

Dec. 23, 2014

Feeder 2 (Taft, Can-avid, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche)

82,506,743.48Jipapad, Maslog Dec. 30, 2014

Buenavista S/S Feeder C, D & E (Mac Arthur, Quinapondan, Salcedo, Mer-cedes, Guiuan, Giporlos, Balangiga & Lawaan)

3,301,534.02 Dec. 12, 2014

TOTAL 174,544,648.00

Approved By:

[SGD.] Atty. JOSE MICHAEL EDWIN S AMANCIO, CPAGeneral Manager

Dra. Evelyn Asebias, M.D.Hon Byron M. Suyot

Lucy ForondaMarcelo’s Place

DONORS

1. Alexius & Renzy Abella

2. Alyson Gil Operario

3. Christopher Duran

4. Crudua Family

5. Dr. Macario Felicen Jr.

6. Dra. Lerma Badiola-Romero

7. Dwayne Andrei & Althea Chua

8. Edgardo Juaban

9. Enriqueta Rodeles

10. Estanislao Gamalo

11. Isabel Ariaso, Novy Navares &

Children Abelyn, Vincent & Kieth

BENEFACTORS12. Japeth & Jahzeel Abrugar

13. Kier Andrie Gloria

14. Maria Grace Ida-Mirador

15. Mary Ann Sabadlab

16. Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin

Mabansag

17. Mr. & Mrs. Joaquin

Lumagbas Sr.

18. Mr. & Mrs. Ruby Ann Balbin

19. Mrs. Myrna Isaig & Family

20. SBM Joel Baldo & Family

21. Virginia Dalina

HAGUPITSiday ni Waray

Han imo ha amon paghapitNaghatag ka hin puro kasakitInin dagat imo pa guin takyabNanhi-anod amon mga payagNagtikang na naman panuroMga luha hinin mga mata koMga puy-anan imo guin anodAk’ damgo guin dara ha lawodMapakain pa man kami yana?Panginabuhi imo na guin kuhaPira ka anyos an am kabudlayGuin ubos mo han im paglabay

Di’ kami na-uubosan hin pag-asaUpod nam’ DIOS han langit ug tuna

Bis’ ano nga katalagman it pag-agi-anMayda kami DIOS nga am darangpan


MOTHER BUTLER Liturgical Center

We sell at reasonable prices: Religious Icons, Hosts, Mass Wine,

Bibles, Yukaristiya, Anawim, Candles,

Incense, Magic Charcoal, Audio CDs, Songbooks, etc.

Cathedral Compound, Borongan City

6800 Eastern Samar

-Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI


from ESTE! NEWS

RUBY “MYSTERY”. This photograph by Marie Grace Penachos went viral minutes after it was posted on Facebook alongside the picture of the Virgin Mary enshrined at the Cathedral. It was taken at Baybay 2, Borongan City a few hours before the land-fall of Typhoon Ruby on Dec. 6, 2014.

Malipayon Nga Pasko UgMainuswagon Nga

B a g - o Ng a Tu i gHa Iyo Ngatanan

from ESTE! News and TV13 Staff

november-december 2014 ruby brings havoc to eastern...

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