BAHA to City Officials, National Agency Heads:

‘Put Service for the Common Good Above Politics’

By Carla N. Cañet

The Bacolod Anti-BAHA Alliance marked its 1st year anniversary yesterday with a concelebrated mass at USLS with Msgr. Victorino A. Rivas as the main celebrant. 

The holy mass was attended by BAHA members, USLS students and a lot of concerned citizens who believe in the cause of BAHA. 

Jean Trebol said that, “I thank all of you for coming to join us in thanksgiving for the 1st anniversary of BAHA. It has not been an easy year for BAHA and we do not expect the days to come to be easy either.” 

She added, “We pray to God to continue to guide us and bless us with perserverance to relent-lessly pursue our cause. We pray that our City Officials and national agencies will put a premium on service for the common good above their personal politics. We pray that all of you here will continue to support our cause, your cause for a clean, flood-free Bacolod.” 

Agnes Jalandoni said that “A year ago, we formed an alliance in order to compel our city government officials and national government agencies to once and for all utilize all the resources and laws at their disposal to solve the flooding problem of Bacolod City, and to encourage all citizens to do their share. We come together to celebrate in thanksgiving one year of commitment. It has been an eventful year, filled with small successes and some disappointments. 

But through it all, we have experienced God’s abiding presence, his fidelity manifested in people who have supported us, who have rallied behind us, who have expressed their faith and hope in us. So even as we celebrate, we also come together to ask for God’s strength so that we may face the challenges and obstacles that may come our way with steadfastness and deeper commitment. May we continue to open our hearts in concern for others, to be the voice for those who have no voice, to take up the fight for those who do not have the strength and the will to fight for their cause.” 

Msgr. Rivas thanked BAHA for taking up the in behalf of the community. The San Sebastian Cathedral was once flooded for the first time. He urged local leaders to unite to solve the problem on flooding.*