Priest bikes from Manila to Mindanao for climate, typhoon victims – report

A Catholic priest is now on a bike trek from Metro Manila to Mindanao to raise awareness of climate change and to pay tribute to victims of recent typhoons Ruby and Yolanda.

 

Fr. Amado Picardal arrived in Tacloban City late Sunday afternoon and will rest on Monday before heading for Mindanao, MindaNews reported Sunday.

 

MindaNews cited a text message from Picardal saying he reached Tacloban at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

 

Picardal said he passed through Quezon province, experiencing muscle cramps and exhaustion, and an occasional flat tire along the way.

 

On his blog, he said his itinerary includes Bicol, Samar, Leyte, Surigao, Agusan, Compostela Valley, Davao, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro and ending in Iligan City.

 

The route includes areas devastated by typhoons for the last four years: Yolanda (2013), Pablo (2012), Sendong (2011) and now Ruby.

 

"This covers approximately 1,800 km which I am doing in two weeks. I will be doing this alone most of the time, but along the way, there will be some local cyclists in major cities who will accompany me for a few hours. I will be staying overnight in parishes and will concelebrate in the Aguinaldo masses and preach," he said.

 

He added he had done three advocacy rides for life and peace around the country when he was younger, and did not think of doing another as a "senior citizen."

 

"But the super-typhoons that have hit our country every year and other calamities such as floods and droughts have spurred me to ride my bike across the country once again. I am aware that these are not 'acts of God' or mere natural occurrences. These are manifestations of climate change," he said. — Joel Locsin/JDS, GMA News