WE THANK OUR DONORS

Bishop Rudy Beltran has not issued a formal letter of appeal in behalf of the victims of mudslides in Kayan Catholic Mission. This is due to the fact that the clergy of the Apostolic Vicariate has not met yet to make concrete plans regarding the victims, especially the surviving families from the incident. But the fact that the Vicariate has opened a bank account specifically for contributions for the victims of the past typhoons means that donations have been coming, and the Bishop thanks these people who have called him sending their sympathies.

On October 8, 2009, a village just a few meters away from the Catholic Church in Kayan, Tadian, Mt. Province was wiped away by a landslide. 35 people died immediatedly due to this catastrophe. On October 10, the eve of their scheduled parish fiesta celebration of the Holy Rosary, Bishop Rudy including 9 clergy celebrated a funeral mass for these dead victims.

"We are aware that we are not the only ones affected by these calamities," says Bishop Rudy. "There are, in fact, more in Benguet and the lowlands. They also need help immediately. We call on those who are donating relief goods to give them instead to those victims. Our people in the Vicariate have been responsive to the immediate needs of the victims, burial of the dead, and relief items for the survivors." He adds. "However, we will be accepting financial donations for the long-term plans of relocating and rehabilitating the families who survived from these calamities," says the Bishop in his interview with the CBCP.

"It is such a blessing to see that despite our people's poverty, they have been generous and quick in giving and sharing what little they have to the victims," says Fr. Tugs de Guzman in his interview with a Radio Veritas correspondent. "What selflessness! I hope others will follow suit," he adds in prayer. Fr. de Guzman is the Chancellor of the Vicariate.

Meanwhile, Fr. Andrew Claver, Mission Rector of Kayan Catholic Mission, with the help of some priests and volunteers, has started the Stress Debriefing of the surviving families, and also, of the Holy Rosary Catholic School who lost their principal, Mr. Lecio Gaoay, and a few students to the tragedy. "We need to do this before we can move on," he says. Fr. Andrew is also the Director of the Catholic School.

Other parishes have been gathering relief goods which include rice, clothes, canned goods and noodles and bringing them to Kayan. There have also been unexpected financial contributions from the BECs of the Vicariate. The Apostolic Vicariate is also cooperating with the Local Government Units in whatever plan they have for these surviving families.

For more financial donations, please see the details on the right strip of this page on how to send in your help.