Yolanda mass grave: From playground to ‘holy ground’

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On All Saints' Day, Yolanda survivors visit a mass grave that holds their dearest memories. Their parish priest says this 'holy ground' used to be a playground.

LEYTE, Philippines – Survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda, observe their first All Saints’ Day after the disaster. In front of the San Joaquin Church in Palo, Leyte, residents visit a mass grave that holds their dearest memories.

Paterno Esmaquel reports.

'IT'S TERRIBLE.' Eduardo Maraya, 69, cries whenever he recalls how Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) 'washed out' the future. Photo by Franz Lopez/Rappler

Right in front of the San Joaquin Church in Palo, Leyte, is one of the biggest mass graves for victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.

This wasn’t always a cemetery.

Sixty-nine-year-old Eduardo Maraya remembers this place as a lively church plaza.

EDUARDO MARAYA, PALO RESIDENT: This was a really beautiful place before the typhoon… Strolling around with my grandchildren, my in-laws, my children… We all used to unwind here before the typhoon.

(Talagang maganda ang lugar na ito, nu’ng wala pang bagyo… ‘Yung pamamasyal ng mga apo ko, manugang ko, mga anak ko… Basta lahat kami, dito ang pasyalan nu’ng wala pang bagyo.)

Eduardo says Yolanda shattered this all. Yolanda killed 5 of his relatives, including his son Edward.

EDUARDO MARAYA, PALO RESIDENT: It’s sad. It makes me cry. I couldn’t help it. It’s terrible. I couldn’t accept it. Sudden death. It’s really sad. You’ll always remember, you’re together at dinner time. In the morning, they’re gone, some of them, dead… Everything was washed out; even people’s lives, washed out.

(Malungkot. Nakakaiyak. Hindi mapigilan. Talagang terible talaga. Makikita mo ‘yung, hindi talaga matanggap. Biglaang pagkawala. Talagang nakakalungkot. Maalala mo, sa hapunan, kayong lahat naghapunan. ‘Pagka inumagahan, wala na; patay na ‘yung iba…Wash out lahat; pati buhay ng tao, wash out.)

Like Eduardo, hundreds of Yolanda survivors visit this mass grave on All Saints’ Day.

The parish priest says 371 people were buried here.

PATERNO ESMAQUEL, REPORTING: Once a plaza, now a mass grave. Super Typhoon Yolanda didn’t only change this landscape. It also buried many memories… many dreams.

Fr Kelvin Apurillo says he decided to turn this former playground into a holy ground.

Apurillo says this place is now keeping families closer. 

FR KELVIN APURILLO, PARISH PRIEST, SAN JOAQUIN CHURCH: The family ties, the bonds, are there. They became closer. Every day, you’ll see, until 9, 10 o’ clock, sometimes 11 o’clock, they’re still there praying.

(‘Yung family ties, ‘yung bond ba, nandoon. Mas lalong humigpit. Every day, makikita n’yo, hanggang 9, 10 o’ clock, sometimes 11 o’ clock, nandiyan sila nagdarasal.)

But this place also reminds them of hopelessness.

REPORTER: What do you want to appeal for?

EDUARDO: To whom?

REPORTER: To whomever.

MARAYA: Let’s just not make an appeal; it won’t be heard anyway. What we appealed for in Region 8, especially here in Leyte, is cash assistance. But when will it come? That’s why it’s better not to make an appeal. It won’t help anyway.

(REPORTER: Ano pong panawagan n’yo?

EDUARDO: Kanino?

REPORTER: Kahit kanino.

EDUARDO: Huwag na lang tayong manawagan, hindi naman natutupad. Ang panawagan dito sa Region 8, lalo na dito sa Leyte, ‘yung cash assistance. Pero kailan ‘yan darating? Kaya nga mabuti nang walang panawagan. Wala namang magagawa.)

For people like Eduardo, this is no longer a place of laughter… but of prayers they hope won’t remain unheard. 

Paterno Esmaquel, Rappler, Palo, Leyte.

video by Franz Lopez/Rappler.com

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