by Gideon C. Corgue
PAGADIAN CITY, Dec. 21 (PIA) -– "No bundles of joy this Christmas for the poor people in our parish, instead we will give it to the flood victims in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro city."
This was announced by Fely Esperante, Our Lady of Fatima Church parish worker in Tugas, Balangan District, who along with parish volunteers busy repacking donated goods quoting parish priest Archie Marane in his text message sent yesterday.
Esperante said the he received text message from Marane ordering them to immediately repack the donated foods and supplies for them to distribute to the affected families in the said cities.
Esperante said less than 400 parishioners in Balangasan who traditionally held their ‘bundles of joy’ project to the less fortunate people every Christmas will not be pushed thru this year saying that foods and supplies donated by their parishioners will go to the flood victims who suffered damage to their houses, and are experiencing food shortage, clean water, etc. due to the great devastation spawned by tropical typhoon Sendong on December 17.
“We will be sending these items tomorrow in Cagayan and Iligan since it is painful for us to see them suffer needlessly,” said Esperante.
Meanwhile, Sto, Niño cathedral church worker Nerlinda Loques said the church will be sending foods and supplies to the flood victims. “We are now busy repacking the donations coming from the Catholic faithfuls,” Loques said in an interview.
Loques said the church has made an appeal to the faithfuls during the Holy mass offertory to donate cash or in kind for the flood victims.
The items will be jointly sent to the affected areas on Wednesday morning where loading will be done in front of Sto. Niño cathedral. (JPA/GCC/PIA-Pagadian)