Filipinos remain hopeful as they help search after landslide

Published: 2006-02-20

MAASIN, Philippines (CNS) -- Relatives of victims of a massive landslide in the central Philippines remained hopeful as they helped survivors and aided rescue efforts, church officials said. U.S. Marines joined the rescue effort in Guinsaugon village Feb. 20 as high-tech equipment detected sounds at the site of an elementary school buried in the mud Feb. 17, but rescue officials said they could not determine if the sounds were made by survivors or shifting mud. Bishop Precioso Cantillas of Maasin observed rescue operations in the village on the overcast morning of Feb. 20, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. From there he proceeded to St. Augustine Parish, about three miles away in Catmon village, to help coordinate aid and relief work. "You can really feel the people's strong faith -- even reporters and rescuers are commenting about it," Bishop Cantillas told UCA News.

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