MANILA, Philippines – The images of what happened one morning in 2013 are still etched in the minds of the people of a remote town in Eastern Samar.

Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) made its first landfall in Guiuan, a remote fishing town of at least 47,000 people, with winds of 315 kilometers per hour.  (READ: 2 Eastern Samar towns in ruins)

Houses were destroyed, major infrastructure reduced to wisps, and residents left with nothing, or worst, killed. Unlike Tacloban, the strong winds of Yolanda were to blame for ravaging the historical town where Ferdinand Magellan set foot in 1521.

The aftermath was equally devastating. The victims had to endure days without food, decent source of water, and even health care. 

Piles of dead bodies were lined on the street, exposing the survivors to health risks. Some resorted to looting so their families can get through each day as they awaited help to arrive.

Children became malnourished and some died due to lack of medical attention. (READ: On nutrition and disasters)

Unlike the town proper that benefitted from relief goods, there were barangay islands in Guiuan that had to endure 4 days without food. (READ: No food for 4 days in Guiuan Islands)

Almost 9 months since that tragic day, the victims are still caught in the continuous process of regaining what they’ve lost, regardless of whether they even had something in the first place.

In Victory

Barangay Victory Island, the farthest area from the town proper, was greeted with angry slaps of waves from the Pacific Ocean.

Alma Carisiosa knows how to swim despite a disability which affects her lower extremities. She is known for being able to do what perfectly able people can do, including walking long distance, doing the laundry, and even fetching water.

But the sea water that rushed to the Carisiosa household was out of the ordinary – the current was too strong and littered with debris from destroyed houses. Stronger waves kept coming and eventually covered the island coast.

“Akala ko hindi na kami mabubuhay ng anak ko,” she said. “Akala namin hindi na talaga kami makakaligtas kasi ang laki talaga ng alon mula sa dagat at baka matabunan pa kami ng mga yero.”

(I really thought my child and I would not survive. I thought we’d die because the waves were really too big and the corrugated roofs would come crushing down on us.)

She tried to carry her child, only to be toppled by the wind. Fortunately, a neighbor saw them struggling and immediately offered help. They made their way to the biggest house in their area.

“Binigay ko na lang iyong anak ko para mahawakan ng iba,” Alma narrated. “Marunong naman akong lumangoy kaya ipinaubaya ko ang anak ko sa kanya, para maligtas siya.”

(I handed my child to him. Since I know how to swim to save myself, I gave him my child so he would survive.)

As she was struggling to survive the winds and waves of Yolanda, she saw how her husband’s small boat, a necessity in the lives of the Carisiosa family, was destroyed. They relied on his small income as a fisherman. It was when she realized that going back to normal would be far-fetched.

The first few months proved to be the worst for the family. They sometimes had nothing to eat as their small island lacked the resources and going to the town center was useless as they had no money.

Eating the right food was not a priority as they welcomed whatever they could get, mostly from the numerous relief goods given to them. (READ: A Pack of Hope against hunger)

Prepared but destroyed

The family of Ester Daguinod was aware of how strong Typhoon Yolanda would be.

“Nanood kami ng balita sa telebisyon kasi may kuryente pa naman iyong araw bago kami natamaan,” she explained. “Alam talaga namin na malakas kaya inayos namin iyong bahay namin at nagtago kami sa maayos na parte.

(We watched the news on television since there was still electricity the day before. We were aware of how the strong it would be so we prepared by fixing the house and securing our shelter in a safe place.)

Ester instructed her 4 children and her husband to stick together as they heard the wrath of Yolanda outside their home. They prayed that they would be spared.

First, the houses surrounding them came under attack. It sounded like parts of the homes were struggling to remain in place but were eventually thrown away by the wind. It started getting nearer and nearer.

“Akala namin iyong ibang bahay na ang nawalan ng bubong at kisame,” Ester narrated.  “Biglang sobrang bilis na natangay na rin iyong sa amin.”

(We thought it was the houses outside that were affected. Suddenly, our roof was destroyed too.)

The preparation they did to their house was no match to Typhoon Yolanda. After less than an hour, their whole house was gone. So were their neighbors’.

In just a short span of time, the bustling Barangay Paras in Guiuan became a field full of discarded objects and debris. 

Everything that the Baguinod family worked for – their home, their small fishing area nearby – were destroyed. 

“Walang natira sa amin talaga. Bahay, nasira. Mga hayop na inaalagaan para ibenta, namatay,” Ester sighed. “Wala kaming hanapbuhay. Sobrang hirap.”

(We were left with nothing. Our houses were destroyed, even the animals we were planning to sell all died. We had no resources, no source of income. It was really hard.)

Path to recovery

The two mothers know that it will take a long time before they forget what happened the days following the disaster. But they also cannot forget how they’ve been suffering more from poverty even until the middle of 2014.

“Minsan inisip ko kung paano na iyong buhay namin,” Alma told Rappler. “Pero kailangan pa rin natin magpursige para sa mga anak natin.”

(Sometimes I wondered what would become of our lives. But we need to survive each day for our children.)

On Wednesday, July 30, she traveled for an hour from Barangay Victory Island to the town center for the monthly payout of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

They are both beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the government agency. In Guiuan alone, the program has almost 5,000 members.

According to Alma, she will use the money for her needs of her child, a daycare student, such as food and health services. A part of the money will also be used to prepare for the birth of her second child as she is currently 7 months pregnant. The children’s welfare are her top priority. 

Meanwhile, Ester admits that when times are really hard, she sometimes feels like giving up but her family keeps her motivated.

“Kung susuko ka, ang pamilya mo ang maaapektuhan,” she explained. “Kaya dapat magpursige pa rin!”

(If you’re going to give up, your family will be affected. So you should just have to just persevere!)

She and her husband are trying to pull all means to support their children’s education. Two of her 6 children are already college graduates and based far from home with their own families.

Even if they’re still trying to revive their livelihood, they vowed to help their remaining children finish their schooling.

“Alam mo iyong kahit wala na kaming pera dahil sa Yolanda, kahit na sa 4Ps na lang kami umaasa minsan, kailangan naming sila mapagtapos,” she told Rappler. “Iyon na lang naman kasi ang maibibigay namin sa kanila talaga.”

(Even if we really don’t have any money because of Yolanda and we mostly depend on 4Ps, we have to make them graduate. That’s the only thing we can give them.)

As of July 30, more than 14,500 survivors are still living in tents in Eastern Visayas and are exposed to various risks. (READ: 14,500 Yolanda survivors still in tents after SONA)

Even if the memories remain fresh and the path to achieving normalcy is still a long way to go, there is no doubt that the residents of the place where the Super Typhoon made its first landfall 9 months ago are not giving up. But they need the government’s help. – Rappler.com