February 20, 2006
Mudslide in the Philippines
MLA Statement

The world reacted with heartache on Friday as a mountain on the Philippine island of Leyte collapsed and covered the tiny village of Guinsaugon in up to 30 metres of mud and debris. The 800-metre Mount Kanabag, weakened by two metres of heavy rain that fell in two weeks, was turned into a field of mud that covered 40 hectares of the village.                                                                                            
It's believed that only three out of the village's 300 homes were not buried by the mud. It is estimated that this catastrophe has cost over 1,000 lives, including 250 children and their teachers who were buried in their school. According to the most recent reports, only 100 bodies have been recovered.
                                                                                                                                                                                                        This human tragedy has moved people all around the world. Pictures and reports describing survivors digging through the mud with their bare hands, trying to rescue their friends and families, are a poignant reminder of the fragility of our existence compared to the forces of nature.
                                                                                                                                                                                                           In Canada there are an estimated 350,000 people who trace their roots to the Philippines. Many of these Filipino Canadians call British Columbia home, and their communities have been in mourning since the events unfolded.
As parliamentary secretary for the Asia-Pacific Initiative and on behalf of my colleagues, I would like to offer my condolences to British Columbia's Filipino community for their loss. Our hearts go out to them at this time of tragedy and grieving.