Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan appealed for help for victims of a fire in the city of Navotas that killed five people, including a two-year old boy, and affected about 400 families in two villages.
“Let us please generously extend to them any form of assistance in their hour of need. If we belong to the one Body of Christ, then the pain of one part will be felt by the rest of the body,” Bishop David posted on his Facebook page.
Reports said the fire, which lasted for hours, displaced 174 families in Barangay Bagumbayan North and 267 families in Barangay Navotas West.
Bishop David said several of those affected by the tragedy were active Church ministry volunteers in the parish of San Ildefonso.
“One of them was part of our Diocesan Synodal Team that prepared the video version of our Diocesan Synodal synthesis report. It’s going to be a bleak Christmas for them,” said the prelate.
Several families have already been sheltered by the parish church.
“The neighborhood was caught by surprise because the fire had spread very fast due to exploding LPG tanks,” said Bishop David.
“Many of the people ran for their lives and literally jumped into the dirty water of the Manila bay, unable to save any of their belongings,” he added.
