Another Tragedy ....

With the Ultra stampede still fresh in our minds, another tragedy has struck our poor country early Friday morning as heavy rains caused a major landslide in Southern Leyte, with the death toll expected to be in the thousands.

Massive search and rescue operations have been ongoing for the past days, with international assistance in this endeavor coming from the Americans, Malaysians and Taiwanese, to name a few. Although we remain optimistic that some lives could still be saved; unfortunately, this faint glimmer of hope slowly ebbs away as the days progress. We can only pray that the bodies of the deceased be recovered and given decent burial proceedings.

For the only Asian country that is predominantly Catholic and God-fearing, it is  understandable why certain Filipinos would think that God has deserted them. Year after year, the nation has continued to bury its own grave, as graft and corruption, plus political bickerings have grown worse. The  gap between the rich and the poor has widened, with the middle class nowhere to be seen.  The recent success of both boxer Manny Pacquiao and our SEA athletes lifted the spirits of our countrymen to a new high; however, these are short-lived and soon, we will be back in survival mode.

The year 2006 has barely began and we are already plagued by these terrible accidents. It is in these uncertain times that constant prayer is most needed. Even if we are beset with all these problems, we should never lose faith in Him, for He is all good and all knowing. He has a purpose in this world.

Amen.