TACLOBAN CITY – The family of the late Northern Samar Rep. Emil Ong is building a church in Catarman, Northern Samar to remember him on his first death anniversary on Friday, Sept. 16.
Ong’s family held a dinner for the construction of the St. Anthony de Padua Rawis Mission Center Church at the University of Eastern Philippines Gym in Catarman attended by friends, family, and residents on Wednesday, Sept. 14, to raise funds since the place of worship will be constructed and not just an ordinary repair project.
"We opened an account for donations instead of flowers. The amount raised will be the seed money for this project that he had left," his daughter-in-law Bless Ongchuan said.
"He always wanted to be in a crowd. I think this project would create a bigger community that would actively participate in church activities," she added.
With over P1.5 million raised, Rev. Fr. Ronel Vilan, Rawis Mission Center administrator, said the church will be built in a more disaster-resilient location.
"It will be a bigger church compared to the previous one that will be built in a more strategic location. The bishop wants everyone to be involved in building a structure fitting to be called a house of prayer and a home of God."
A political stalwart in Northern Samar, Ong succumbed to pneumonia in a hospital in Manila in September last year.