Relatives of victims of a massive landslide in the central Philippines remained hopeful as they helped survivors and aided rescue efforts, church officials said.

U.S. Marines joined the rescue effort in Guinsaugon, a village of 1,800 people, on Feb. 20 as high-tech equipment detected sounds at the site of an elementary school buried in the mud Feb. 17, but rescue officials said they could not determine if the sounds were made by survivors or shifting mud.

By late Feb. 20, five children were among the 72 people confirmed dead; another 1,350 people were listed as missing.

Bishop Precioso Cantillas of Maasin observed rescue operations in the village on the overcast morning of Feb. 20, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. From there he proceeded to St. Augustine Parish, about three miles away in Catmon village, to help coordinate aid and relief work.

"You can really feel the people's strong faith --- even reporters and rescuers are commenting about it," Bishop Cantillas told UCA News.

St. Augustine Parish Center was offering refuge to relatives and residents of Guinsaugon, on southern Leyte Island.

Guinsaugon had 500 houses, a town hall and a public elementary school, reported Father Amiel Borneo, the bishop's secretary who is coordinating rescue efforts. He said parish workers were involved "in all areas of operations," including helping to identify bodies.

The priest said about 200 evacuees were staying at the St. Augustine parish house, while 700 other evacuees were being housed in the diocese's Cristo Rey Regional High School in the city of St. Bernard.

---CNS