New Year wishes from Yolanda-ravaged northern Iloilo

CONCEPCION, Iloilo — While the rest of us wonder what another year will be like, the survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) think about how to improve their lives, preparing for what waits them. 

“Christmas passed and another year is here, but we are still recovering from the typhoons,” said JM, a 13-year-old vendor from Concepcion, one of the towns hardest hit by the tyhoon.

“After Yolanda, Ruby, and Seniang, my only wish is for everything to be okay and for us to be spared from other calamities,” he added.

Business permits for vendors

The municipality of Concepcion gave out business permits that are valid from December 24 to 31, 2014 so that youngsters like JM can do business, no matter how briefly. 

Alongside JM are his teenage friends Paulo and John. “Simple lang ya akon na wish. Gusto ko ya  magbalik na tanan sa normal diri sa Concepcion (My wish is just simple, I want everything to go back to normal here in Concepcion),” said Paulo.

The people of Concepcion mainly depend on relief goods for their daily needs as several fishermen lost their livelihoods after the disasters.

‘Safe enough’

Others claim that ports are still not “safe enough.”  

Concepcion with other northern Iloilo towns like Ajuy and Carles are just 3 of the 11 municipalities of the 5th district of Iloilo severely battered by Yolanda. Most of these municipalities are located along the coast, with residents relying on fisheries and agriculture as their means of living.

“Gamay lang gid ang amon na mga gina panghandom. Amo ina ang kompleto pirme ang amon nga pamilya baskin ga kinahanglan pa namon sang mga mayo nga plastar sa amon mga pangabuhi. Ahaw tubig mabudlay man gihapon sa diri,” said Ricardo Gomez, a 32-year-old fisherman from the island village of Bulubadiangan in Concepcion. (We just have a little wish. That our family will always be complete and for our lives to be stable. Even water is still scarce here.)

For the residents of northern Iloilo, another year is just another wish for a better life but it seems slow in coming, like trickles of water in faucets that have seen better times. — Rappler.com