What Yolanda survivors want to #ShowThePope

TACLOBAN, Philippines – When Pope Francis visits the typhoon-hit province of Leyte, his itinerary won’t allow him to visit many places reeling from Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013. What do Yolanda survivors want Pope Francis to see?

Paterno Esmaquel reports.

This community by the sea in is one of the things the Pope will not see in Tacloban City. This village, Anibong, is one of Tacloban’s danger zones. We interviewed residents here to ask what they want the Pope to see. And here’s what they want to show the Pope.

RICHELLE ALCARAZ, ANIBONG RESIDENT: Yung mga anak ko. Tapos mabasbasan man lang ‘yung mga anak ko, na maging maayos ‘yung pag-aaral nila. Tapos ito pa, pinapalangin ko, mahawakan siya ni Santo Papa para mabasbasan din siya dahil sa sakit niya, kahit paano mapagaling ba. (My children. I hope he can bless my children, that they will do well in school… I also pray that the Holy Father can touch him to heal him from his illness.)

ALYANNA VILLARIN, ANIBONG RESIDENT: Rosaryo, ‘yung rosaryo ko, dahil marunong na ako. Para po ‘pag merong delubyong pumunta dito, ito lang po ‘yung dala dala ko. (My rosary, because I now know how to pray it… So if a disaster strikes again, this is the only thing I’ll bring with me.)

SARAH DELA PENA, ANIBONG RESIDENT: Yung dalawang anak ko, ‘yung kambal ko, gusto kong ipakita kay Santo Papa kasi ‘yan talaga ng survivor sa Yolanda. (My two children, my twins. I want to show them to the Pope because they were survivors of Yolanda.)

PATRING BACOY, ANIBONG RESIDENT: Ang wish talaga ng taga-Anibong, dumaan ‘yung Santo Papa kahit dito lang naman sa kalsada namin sa Anibong, umikot lang naman. Kasi karamihan dito sa Anibong, talagang mahihirap. Dahil ‘yung Santo Papa, pakiramdam ko siya na po si Jesus Christ na dumating dito sa Tacloban alang-alang po sa mga anak ko. (The wish of people in Anibong is really that the Pope will pass by, even just along the roads of Anibong. Because many people here in Anibong are really poor… Because I feel that the Holy Father is Jesus Christ visiting Tacloban… for the sake of my children.)

What about you? What do you want to show the Pope? Tweet us your photos using the hashtag #ShowThePope.
Paterno Esmaquel, Rappler, Tacloban City. – Rappler.com