Daanbantayan officials visit Simala for thanksgiving

CEBU - The family of Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura and Vice Mayor Maria Luisa Loot, along with the more than 200 employees of the town, visited recently the miraculous Blessed Virgin of Simala in Lindogon, Sibonga.

The visit served as a gesture of thanksgiving of the Loot family, and some municipal officials and employees, after the Commission on Elections First Division ordered a status quo on the case filed by defeated mayoralty candidate Augusto Corro and vice mayoralty candidate Jose de Leon, Jr.

The order came out last December 3 in time for the birthday of Shimura and the wedding anniversary of the couple, Sr. Supt. Vicente Loot and Vice Mayor Loot.

During the visit, the Loot family donated a golden crown for the Blessed Virgin Mary received by the Marian Monks of the Eucharistic Adoration.

The whole-day visit was capped with a Holy Mass officiated by Rev. Fr. Rossdel Noel, the parish priest of Saint Michael the Archangel Parish of Tapilon, Daanbantayan before the group headed back home.

Although not compulsory, almost all of the municipal employees joined the visit in thanksgiving. The town workers said that because election protests tremendously affect office works, the community suffers with the delay in the delivery of basic services.

Despite the fact that one of the employees landed at the North General Hospital in Naga City because of a heart attack on their way to Sibonga, the pilgrimage was considered to be “very meaningful and very opportune time to visit the sacred place.”

Remy Rosell, who was transferred at the Perpetual Succour Hospital, is still in the intensive care unit as of this writing. His colleagues are praying for his fast recovery. — Gregg M. Rubio/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)