In accordance to the circular issued by the Archdiocese of Manila, all Catholic churches within its jurisdiction today held a “Second Collection for the Cyclone Victims in Myanmar” in response to the worldwide efforts providing immediate help for the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma.
Burma solidarity network led by the Free Burma Coalition – Philippines (FBC-Phils) and the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) laud the initiative of the Catholic Church and enjoin all Filipinos to pray for Burma people and support the fund drive.
In accordance to the circular issued by the Archdiocese of Manila, all Catholic churches within its jurisdiction today held a “Second Collection for the Cyclone Victims in Myanmar” in response to the worldwide efforts providing immediate help for the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma.
Burma solidarity network led by the Free Burma Coalition – Philippines (FBC-Phils) and the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) laud the initiative of the Catholic Church and enjoin all Filipinos to pray for Burma people and support the fund drive.
Fr. John Leydon, MSSC, led the mass in Malate Church from 8:00am to 12:00 noon while His Eminence Cardinal Gaudencio B. Rosales presided over the mass in Sta Cruz church at 3:00pm.
FBC-Phils spokesperson Egoy Bans said, “We commend this initiative of the catholic church to help the cyclone victims in Burma. Through fervent prayers and donations, we can let our brothers and sisters in Burma feel that they are not alone in this time of crisis.”
The United Nations estimates that 1,215,885 to 1,919,485 million people are in dire need of assistance. The number of deaths could range from 63,290 to 101,682, and 220,000 people are reported missing.
Bans further hit reports of junta’s continuous restriction to humanitarian aid saying the military regime should not make humanitarian aid a political issue.
According to reports, the junta via the state-controlled media said that the immediate emergency relief phase is over and that reconstruction should be the next priority. The U.N. however commented that help has only got to a quarter of the 2.4 million people affected.
He added, “This continuous reluctance of the junta to allow free movement of aid workers in Burma is not doing any good. All obstacles must be removed to deliver assistance to the people and that could start by allowing the entry of foreign aid workers and disaster experts into the affected areas to assess the damage for themselves.”
He concluded, “The world is willing to open its wallet but the military regime must first unlock its doors. The junta should realize that aid agencies cannot just stare from afar while thousands of people like mothers with infants, women and children and the elderly are crying for immediate help.”
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