CBCP-ECMI remembers world road victims

BALANGA City, Bataan – The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Committee for Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMI) commemorated on Sunday, the 10th World Day of Remembrance for Road Victims.

“This day is solely dedicated to remembering the many millions killed or injured in road crashes and their families and communities,” Bataan Bishop and CBCP-ECMI chair Ruperto Santos said.

The prelate said this is also to pay heartfelt tribute to the dedicated emergency crews, police and medical professionals who deal on a daily basis the traumatic aftermath of road death and injury.

The national celebration was marked with Holy Mass at 5:00 p.m. at the St. Peter Cathedral in Fair View, Quezon City by Bishop Antonio Tobias. In Bataan, Bishop Santos celebrated Mass at 1:00 p.m. in Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel at the Residencia Sacerdotal in Balanga City.

“Sa Santa Misa hiniling natin sa Dios na ang mga biktima ay bigyan ng kapayapaan, kapatawaran at tanggapin sila sa buhay na walang hanggan. Sa mga naiwan, magkaroon sana sila ng kagalingan ng isipan, puso at kalooban at makamit ang hangad nilang katarungan,” the Bataan prelate said.

He asked for a silent prayer from the faithful for relatives who died in road accidents. Santos advised churchgoers to start their driving activities with prayer and to remember “4 Cs in driving” – be careful, be calm and be compassionate and to have Christ as guide.

“Hilingin sa Diyos na magkaroon ng malinaw na isipan, matalas na mata at matatag na kamay at bigyan ng patnubay upang maging ligtas sa patutunguhan,” the bishop said.

The United Nations has adopted in 2005 a resolution which calls for governments to mark the third Sunday of November each year as “World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Accidents.”