Survivors try to live normal lives after Pablo

COMPOSTELA VALLEY—It’s been a year since Typhoon Pablo struck this town and the memories of the devastation still linger in the minds of the survivors yet they are trying their best to live normal lives.

Many have lost their loved ones and properties, including their livelihood but due to the support of the people here in the country and abroad, they are slowly rebuilding their lives and see the chance for a brighter tomorrow.

Abraham Lumapat, Jr., chairman of Purok 3 of Brgy. Andap, New Bataan said while they were caught off-guard when Typhoon Pablo came last December 4, 2012, now they are preparing themselves should calamities happen.

“Kada ulan dinhi, andam na mi. Halos dili na mi matulog. Ang mga survivors pa ang mag-bantay kung nag-ulan na,” he said, adding that every Purok has its own radio set to communicate to one another regarding the situation especially in low-lying areas.

He said when Typhoon Yolanda and Tropical Depression Zoraida, battered several parts of the country, they cannot contain their fears of what would happen if they were affected like that in the Visayas.

Mayor Lorenzo Balbin, Jr. of New Bataan also experienced the same fear when the news about Yolanda reached them.

Like what happened in Yolanda, he said they were warned about Typhoon Pablo but did not fully understand the extent of damage it can cause them.

“We were warned but we haven’t tried experiencing typhoons before of such kind,” the mayor said during a visit in his office last December 4, 2013.

“Iba talaga kapag na-tamaan ka ng bagyo. Dati hindi ka makakakita ng tao na ngumingiti dito,” he added.

To recover from the devastation, groups like World Food Programme, Plan International, among others helped the people through their cash for work program.

The said program is a 10-day per cycle program that allows survivors to generate income from different forms of labor like clearing of grasslands, cleaning of canal, cleaning of irrigation systems and creeks.

Among the beneficiaries is 64-year-old Estrella Alonzo. She said the program helped her to pay for their electricity bills and in purchasing materials for their house damaged by Pablo.

“Handumanan gyud nako nga inig pasiga nako sa among suga, gikan gyud ni sa cash-for-work program,” she said.

The program is intended for people ages 19 to 65.

Mayor Balbin said they are trying to reclaim their lives after the lost they experienced during the time of Pablo and they appreciated the help from different donors.

As of now, they are doing their mass tree planting as way of helping in the recovery.

“Maningkamot gihapon mi. Dili gyud mi angay ma-discourage,” he quipped.