Haiyan aftermath: Jaime’s story

JP Gopez, Aya Lowe

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

This is the story of Jaime Bontoc, a survivor of super typhoon Haiyan

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines –  Typhoon Haiyan took 14 members of Jaime Bontoc’s family. Struggling with insurmountable grief, he was able to find solace in the church and its community. This is his story. 

 

JAIME BONTOC, DIVER: Parang nananaginip pa rin ako na buhay pa rin mga pamilya ko. Naiisip ko. (I dream that my family is still here.)

Malambing yun eh, yung mga apo ko. Kahit pagdating sa school, merong mga, halimbawa ‘pag may star, humihingi sakin ng isang piso. Para meron silang star galing sa eskwelahan. Pagdating ko sa dagat ay ako’y naninisid rin ng shell. Sila’y sumasalubong. Marami nang huli. Makakabili na tayo ng pagkain. Kaya kung mayroong bata nakikita ako, para akong nakikiusap, parang ganito mga apo ko, ganyan. Parang bibigay ko ng pagkain. “Halika.” ‘Yung mga apo ko sa bahay pinapakain ko. ‘Yan lang ang… alala ko ‘yung mga apo ko.  (My grandchildren were sweet. When they would come home from school and have stars on their papers they’d ask for one peso. I used to dive in the ocean for shells. My grandchildren would welcome me back home and I would tell them that we have a big catch so we could buy food. That’s why whenever I see a child I talk to them I give them food because I remember my grandkids.)

On the morning of November 8, 2013, Typhoon Yolanda tore through Jaime’s barangay. This is his story.

JAIME: (Yung pamilya ko lumipat na sa ibang bahay, sa malaki, malapit sa kalsada. ‘Di ko iniwanan yung bahay namin kasi yung gabi na ‘yun, maraming nanglo-looting na may mga itak, martilyo. Doon ako natulog sa bahay namin. Sila, pinalipat na namin sila. ) My family transferred to another house closer to the road. I didn’t leave our house because that night there were a lot of people looting with machetes and hammers so I slept in our house and I asked them to move to a different house.

Matapos, yung bahay namin parang bumagsak lang. Pumutok yung malalaking alon. Sabi ko, “Day, ‘yung mga bata!” Naipit ako. Doon ako sa ilalim ng dagat. Doon sa lupa na. ‘Pag binirikis ko yung tiles nung bandilyas na yan, pag-ahon ko wala nang tao. Tubig na lang. “Nasa’n na kayo? Nasa’n na kayo?” Tapos ako bagsak dito mga kahoy. Langoy nang langoy ako parang ‘pag babalik ng kuwan. Parang nag-gaganun-ganun lang ako doon. (Our house just collapsed when the big waves came in. I told my wife, ‘the kids!’ and then I got stuck under the water. I untangled myself from the rubble when I came up there was no one there, just water. Then I screamed “where are you? Where are you?” Wood kept falling on me. I kept swimming and it seemed like I was going around in circles)

Jaime was taken to the hospital by his friends. He sustained multiple injuries.

JAIME BONTOC, DIVER: Ang nawala sa akin? 14. Yung nawawala sa buhay ko, 14. Dadalawa na lang kaming magkasama. ‘Yung anak ko na may pamilya pa rin. Namatay yung asawa n’ya, anak. Isa na lang s’ya. Tapos, kami sama-sama na lang. (The people I lost? 14. The people I lost in my life is 14. It’s just two us now; my son who has a family but his wife and child died.)

Naalala ko pa yung pamilya ko ba. Minsan naglalasing din ako para makatulog ako. ‘Di na ko makatulog eh. Umiinom na lang ako ng alak. Mahirap ‘pag wala ng pamilya.  (I remember my family sometimes. I do get drunk just to sleep It’s hard to lose your family.)

‘Pag nagsisimba ako, malinaw ang ulo ko ba. Masaya ako na nakapagsimba ako kasi yung mga kaibigan ko nakita ko nga. Marami naman nagsasabi sakin na, “Bayaan mo lang sila,” dahil andun na. Tapos lagi na lang ako nagsisimba. Nakikiusap na tulungan no na lang sila, slang andoon. Lord, kung nasaan man sila, ikaw na ang bahala. Pagdating ng Friday, doon sa bahay na ‘yan na lumubog, naglalagay na lang ako ng kandila. ‘Pag araw ng Friday, nagsisindi na lang ako ng kandila doon. Doon din ako nagdadasal. (When I got to mass my head is clear. I’m happy when I go to mass because I see my friends also. There’s a lot of people that tell me just let it go, it happened already. I always go to mass to ask God to help them. Wherever they are, I leave them up to you. When Friday comes, I light candles in the house that sunk. That’s where I pray.)

‘Di pa ako kinuha kasi, mayroon pa ako tutulungan siguro mga kaibigan ko na ganito, mga kasama ko pagpalaot ba. ‘Yan lang matutulungan kasi kasama ko pa sila. Maturuan din sa palaot. “Sabay-sabay tayo doon. Punta tayo doon. Mayroon doon. Maraming nahuhuli doon.” (I think I didn’t die so I could help my friends who I go out to sea with. I can help them because I’m still around them. I could teach them because we’re still all together. When we all go to sea I can show them where the best catch is.) – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!