MANILA (UCAN): Philippine bishops are pitching in to seek divine relief from the extreme heatwave scorching the country, instructing the faithful to recite special prayers for rain and lower temperatures.
Rising temperatures forced the government to shut down tens of thousands of schools, while increased demand has stressed the country’s already strained power supply.
A widespread El Niño drought that began early this year is compounding the problem, ruining 5.9 billion pesos [US$103 million] worth of farm produce so far according to the Department of Agriculture.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines issued an Oratio Imperata Ad Petendam Pluviam [obligatory prayer to ask for rain], instructing parishes in country to recite a prayer for deliverance from calamities during Masses, the Inquirer reported on May 4.
Part of the prayer reads: “At your command the wind and the seas obey. Raise your hand, Almighty God, to avert the continuing rise in temperatures so that your people can engage in productive undertakings and our young people can pursue learning in tranquility and comfort.”
It reads, “We humbly ask you to grant us relief from the extreme heat that besets your people at this time, disrupting their activities and threatening their lives and livelihood,” and pleads, “Send us rain to replenish our depleting water sources, to irrigate our fields, to stave off water and power shortages and to provide water for our daily needs.”
A record-high 38.8 degrees Celsius was recorded in Manila on April 27, forcing the closure of more than 47,000 schools for two days.
Nearly 8,000 schools remained shuttered as of May 3, the education department said, while the highest temperature in the country was recorded at 38.2C on the island of Mindoro.
