Marcos calls for prayers as PH faces storms

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday called on Filipinos to unite and pray amid the multiple tropical cyclones that have affected the country in the past few weeks.

“Our collective faith and prayer to the Almighty is the most powerful tool that we have to weather these storms and the destruction that they bring,” the President said in his speech during the 49th Philippine National Prayer Breakfast (PNPB) at Malacañang.

Tropical cyclones Nika, Ofel, and Pepito have affected a total of 1,145,942 individuals or 295,576 families in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Monday.

With this, 685,071 individuals had to flee their homes and seek temporary shelter elsewhere.

In the aftermath of Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-Yi), Marcos expressed gratitude in joining the PNPB, emphasizing the importance of unity and faith.

“The vision of the PNPB—to unite in the spirit of Christ, shaping our lives according to God's will, and working together to bring about the realization of God's reign in the Philippines—is a clarion call to all who bear the responsibility of leadership to look beyond the immediate, to aspire to what is enduring and what is righteous,” the President said.

“The world and our country are facing so much divisiveness—beliefs, politics, and even generational cultural differences. These often make us forget our humanity, that we are one in our shared goal: to serve our fellow Filipinos, to help the Philippines flourish,” he added.

Marcos said that the gathering came at a critical moment, as Filipinos have faced successive challenges since October 21, beginning with Severe Tropical Storm Kristine up to Pepito.

He thus urged leaders to recommit themselves to service imbued with faith and prayerful discernment.

“Let us renew our pledge to seek divine wisdom, to build bridges where there are divides, and to lead with conviction that our nation’s best days are ahead of us,” Marcos said. — Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA Integrated News