BALANGA CITY – There seemed to be no doubt that power of prayers saved Bataan from the devastation expected from tropical storm Santi.
The province was placed on Friday under typhoon Signal No. 2 together with neighboring areas of Zambales, Pampanga and Bulacan. The people were expecting the worst but the wind was not strong and only light rains fell between 9 p.m and before 12 midnight of Friday and then stopped.
Lights were out in Samal town from 10 p.m of Friday to 2 a.m. of Saturday. On Saturday, seen were a small tree that fell by the roadside of the Roman Superhighway in Hermosa town, some hectares of ready-to-harvest palay logged in mud and water in the City of Balanga and the towns of Abucay, Samal, Orani and Hermosa; and only Barangay Almacen in Hermosa with flood waters.
No death, no search and rescue operations undertaken. No high-rise flood waters in the towns of Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Orani, Samal, Abucay and Pilar and Balanga City like in the previous habagat and storms.
An hour before night-fall of Friday, Bishop Ruperto C. Santos of the Diocese of Balanga issued a special prayer appealing to God: “Our Almighty God, merciful Father, You are the Lord of heaven and earth. You are the creator of everyone and of everything. We acknowledge your greatness and goodness. We turn to your providence and protection.”
Expecting danger, the bishop of Catholics in 236 barangay in 11 towns and one city, continued with his plea– “A danger is at hand. A storm is passing our country. We humbly appeal for your healing and help.”
“Trusting the powerful words of our Lord Jesus, ‘Quiet now! Be still! (Mark 4:39). Pacify the wind. Make the rain gentle. Let the water subside. And dissolve the storm Santi!” “With Your generosity and graciousness, let there be complete calm in our land. Let our day and night be quiet, pleasant and ever peaceful.
And may our lives be ever safe, secured and saved. Amen.” And there was calm in Bataan. There were light rains on Saturday and Sunday but the sun was forcing its way to prevail. The province of more than 600,000 people was calm like a breast-feeding baby.
