Our first links with the Philippines go back to 1954, when a foundation from St. Maries was established in Tacloban City, Leyte. Since then many Sisters across the Province have forged strong links with the Philippines.
On Friday November 8th, 2013 we heard on the news that a strong typhoon was to hit the Philippines, so on the Saturday morning, all were horrified to hear that the typhoon had hit Leyte and especially that Tacloban City had suffered great devastation. Thirty Sisters minister in Tacloban and Tananan, while others minister in Midanao, Naval and in Manila.
In a letter from one of the Sisters written on November 20th and received just before Christmas, she wrote ‘that the typhoon began at 5.00 am. Had this happened during the night, the people of Tacloban would have been completely wiped out.’ She also said ‘we had a weather warning, but nobody realized it would be that bad, we had a tornado and tsunami at the same time.’
Our first contact with the Philippines was on the Monday, with the Sisters in Mindanao. This was heart breaking. It was a cry for help, help for the Sisters in Tacloban, who were now living in one section of the Convent and for their immediate neighbours, who were without food, water and belongings. The Sisters immediately opened the first floor of the school to enable families have shelter as many had lost their homes. 200 families were accommodated in the school.
A few days after the typhoon some of the Sisters from Tacloban went to the convents in Mindanao, Manila and Naval, as Tacloban had no food, water or electricity. Six Sisters remained behind.
Following on their plea for help, a bank account was set up through the Provincial Stewardship Office, to give immediate support to the Sisters. We got details of the account held by the Sisters in Fatima College, Mindanao. This enabled us to send some money immediately. The funds transferred arrived in their account within four days. The Sisters in Mindanao, with the support of the Archbishop and others, organized the collection of food, water, mosquito nets, and other materials for shelter and brought them to Tacloban. They also brought diesel for the hospital generator which was supplied by Eamonn Hurton, a friend of one of the Columban Fathers – Fr. Peter O’Neill, to enable a group of German doctors provide health care to the people who were injured during the typhoon.
In subsequent communication, we learned that one Sister had lost her mother, six to eight Sisters all had lost relations and the homes of many of the Sisters were destroyed. They also suffered the loss of staff members, students of Holy Infant College as well as personnel from the hospital.
The Columban Fathers, through Fr. Pat Raleigh, Regional Director have contributed €70,000 to the fund, as they wish the funds to go directly to the Sisters to support the local people. The Southern Province has given €25,000. The fund has also been greatly supported by the Sisters in the Province, Mercy schools, friends of the Sisters and those associated with Mercy far and wide. Many of the donors expressed the desire to see funds going to the Sisters immediately. Support has also come from people who read about the Philippines on the Columban website. We have sent, and plan to continue to send, €2,000 each week, which when converted is 110,000 pesos approx. This helps the Sisters provide food, water and other necessities. They have supported local families in getting their homes together.
The Filipino people are very resilient and are used to typhoons. Once it is over, they pick up the pieces and start to rebuild again. Following this typhoon one Sister wrote that the greatest difficulty was ‘experiencing death all around them’ and being ‘unable to help’, and ‘people sleeping everywhere’. Another problem they experienced was that ‘prisoners were freed and went back to their old habits of robbing, killing and stealing’. In order to calm things, martial law was imposed.
Things are beginning to pick up now. Banks in Tacloban have reopened, so we are sending the weekly funds directly to Tacloban. Materials for rebuilding have now to come from Cebu. Repair work has begun in the convent so the Sisters have returned to Tacloban and are helping with the general clearing up. Roofs have been repaired in the hospital to protect the interior and in time further work is to be done.
On Christmas Eve, Mass was celebrated in the convent for the Sisters and their neighbours. On Christmas Day, they had a meal which they shared with their neighbours whom they had housed up until then. The neighbours are now settling into their ‘new homes’ (shelters). On December 26th, repair work began in the school buildings and classes resumed for elementary and high school on January 6th, 2014. Repairs to the buildings will continue and the hope is that college classes will resume on January 15th 2014, which is the date given by the Department of Education to resume classes.
As of now, the Sisters do not have running water in the convent as the pump was damaged, so water has to be drawn from a well. A regular supply of electricity is as far as the main road, but has not yet been connected to the homes. The convent can ‘tap in’ at times to the hospital generator.
Mercy International Association will continue to support the Sisters with the repairs, rebuilding and refurbishment of the schools and hospital. They will also support them in providing equipment and other necessities to continue their ministry of education and healthcare. Sr. Mary Reynolds is in contact with Sr. Carmela in supporting these ministry needs.
We are deeply grateful to all who have supported the Sisters in the Philippines. May you all be blessed in the love and care you have shown, and continue to show, to our Mercy Sisters.
Sisters of Mercy
St Maries of the Isle
Sharman Crawford St
Cork
Southern Province
