Show light and hope

January 1, 2014
Show light and hope of Christ. What an apt message this Christmas season coming no less from the Philippine President, Benigno S. Aquino III. The message comes at a time when millions of Filipinos are still reeling from the massive devastation caused by super typhoon Yolanda, the most powerful howler to hit the Philippines and the world this year. Imagine the damage and losses from that typhoon – a whooping P571 billion! With over 6,000 dead and almost 2,000 still missing and 500,000 houses destroyed in 12 regions, especially Leyte and Samar provinces, that’s a real catastrophe! A month before Yolanda, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake wrecked havoc on the island of Bohol, destroying roads, bridges, schools, town halls and its priceless historical and centuries-old churches. And a month before the Bohol temblor, Muslim rebels purportedly belonging to former governor and the Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari showed up with arms in the shores of Zamboanga City, scaring the people and the military itself. Even while the rebels’ objective by their own admission was only to march peacefully to drum up support for the newly proclaimed independence of their Bangsa Moro State, misfires and the military’s failure to communicate with the rebels and forge a truce resulted to an almost month-long bombing and shelling destroying hundreds of houses and buildings in the process and loss of lives on both sides – the government and the rebels.
But tragedies upon tragedies, natural or man-made, the Filipinos have proven their resilience and their capability to rise amidst difficulties. And they are rising again from the rubbles of the recent massive destruction. Their determination to survive and rise again has caught the attention of the world as many countries readily brought relief and necessary assistance and aid are still coming from within and across the globe. Thanks to the worldwide reportage by international media groups like CNN for that. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, for one, initiated a global effort for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction with a goal to raising $742 million for the effort from UN member-countries. When the UN chief arrived in Manila and visited Tacloban City to see himself the destruction, more than 30 percent of the goal has been raised and he called on other countries to speed up the release of aid.
In the words of President Aquino, Filipinos affected by recent tragedies gave inspiration and hope to many people. In the case of residents of Bohol after last October’s quake, they showed fellow Filipinos what is possible. Overseas Filipinos around the world also joined forces to help their countrymen. Indeed, the Filipinos are showing to the world that with unity and determination, one can stand up again after stumbles. Let this be the message for all people this Christmas season.