Priest runs to ask God for rain, spread El Niño awareness

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya - A Catholic priest hopes to invoke heavenly powers for rain as he embarked on a grueling run amid the sweltering heat of drought-stricken Isabela province on Tuesday. Father Robert Reyes, better known as the running priest, braved El Niño’s scorching mid-day sun, and ran across some villages in Isabela’s capitol town of Ilagan. No one was able to thwart his efforts, even as health officials warned of possible heat strokes caused by the summer season’s record rise in temperatures. The ceremonial kick-off was held at the capitol grounds and afterwards, Reyes jogged on a steady pace en route to villages across the town which was said to be heavily affected by the drought. Zaldy Almario of the provincial information office told GMANews.TV that the running priest’s itinerary included the villages of Namnama and Fugu. “By my estimates, he (Reyes) may have covered more than 30 kilometers through out the day," Almario said. Dubbed as “Run for Renewal and Rain," Reyes’ latest endeavor to gather support for environment-related issues, aims to further awaken consciousness of the people and the government over the worsening effects of the El Niño. Reyes embraced the limelight after surviving thousands of miles running across the country to publicize his advocacies against mining, gambling, illegal logging as well as perceived government excesses and other social maladies. Carrying a bamboo pole with water pails on both ends, the running priest’s activity in Isabela comprised of the symbolic sprinkling of Holy water on some of the worst-hit agricultural lands. Provincial officials say that the sacrificial run of Reyes is a fitting tribute to farmers who has to endure the most from the prevailing calamity. Isabela, the country’s leading corn and rice producer, is the worst-hit province in the entire archipelago. Its expected huge drop in corn and rice production could jeopardize the country’s food security. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV