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Thursday, November 21, 2013

God Heeds the Call


Several days after the typhoon Yolanda (the strongest typhoon to hit our country, Philippines, in 2013) made a grand landfall in the north-eastern Visayas and the northern tip of Panay island, body counting of the dead victims never seem to stop every day; a staggering cost estimate of destroyed properties just kept growing to the nth digit as queues in the relief operations also lengthened. Help keeps pouring in from both the Filipinos and other nations but everyone knows that these are all temporary. It is expected of everybody to be able to stand again after sometime and move on their own. As of press time, the victims who lost their loved ones and homes are all busy trying to accept and cope with. Yet life has to go on and they have no choice but to get going even if they have a heavy heart.
A week after the calamity, people expressed grief deeply as they suffer their bereavements, damages and hunger. Added to those were the delays of relief goods, clothes and transportation that may take them to safer grounds where some relatives and friends may help in their predicament. It was a sad picture to see but it was truth highlighted to all. Some sprung up right after the storm surge, others kept cursing nature, more were blaspheming the government and faithful believers prayed the more ardently.
On the other side of the disaster in the northern town of Iloilo, many failed to see that the storm surge has also brought about a solution to the problem that has remained hanging like a sword of Damocles above them. In Estancia, the good mothers worry over the increasing number of the videoke bars and the trafficking of young women. Allegedly, these young women were taken to the area at dusk to the bars where they serve as entertainers cum prostitutes for the good part of the night. Again, so early at daybreak they are taken out of the area to another town. Wives worry over the proliferation of those notorious recreational places for obvious reasons as well as for the influence it brings to their young. 
One other big concern of fisher folks in the fifth district was about trawl fishing in their areas. There were allegations that some fishermen resort to this method to have a better catch for the period; however, this destroys the seabed itself and the corrals that serve as the habitat of these fishes. In one of the boating exploration to the islands, a resident-guide pointed to us the corrals underwater that have died. It was such a waste. Seeing from the surface how they have remained immobile as they have changed colors we can only wonder about the extent of the loss.  Some of these boats with fish scare lines used for this purpose were lining the ports of Estancia when we last saw them. Having seen the effects, we agreed to our guide that these people are heartless. Further, he expressed that they are praying that one day the Bantay Dagat (sea patrol) will really do their duty and sack these illegal fishers. He alleged that some of these crews in the fishing vessels come from the island of Masbate. That was barely five months ago.
Day 10 from the landing of typhoon Yolanda, I saw the pictures of the town of Estancia from the social media site. It has a changed landscape as much as the coastal areas near the marketplace looked so devastated – a presentation of an aftermath of the distressing experience. I tried to get in touch with somebody from Estancia who said that even as they are pained by the losses, they also see the silver lining. She stated thus - “God answered our prayers for all these bad stimuli to depart from our place. He cleaned our town and He touched us all intensely regardless of social status and rank. Definitely there is a message for all of us in the northern communities. It is just in how sensitive we are to the movement of the Spirit inside our heart. I hope all of us here will see it from that positive angle.”  Well said.
That simple statement astounded me. I was speechless… I thought that if most of them have that belief too; then, the same God will heal their land as He binds them again to do better with their communities. Indeed He listens to our call, so let’s be careful how we ask of them.

I have included in this blog the pictures of some interesting islands from Estancia before the onslaught of the typhoon. Included too were some taken from the island exploration we had over four months ago.


      The road to the market of Estancia before the storm… to the right is the  Catholic Church wall while down under is the way to the          Fishing Port and the market.



                        The passenger pump boats going to the islands of Carles, Estancia and Pilar, Capiz..

  Fishing boats with scare ropes and passenger boats are side by side in the Estancia port.  The one full of passengers is leaving for the     island of Masbate.



                                           At the fish brokers corner in Estancia Fishing Port



                                      The fish pens at sea. These are reached about 10minutes from the port.



 
   The islands of Carles as we saw them from the port of Estancia. It took us over an hour  to reach some of the
                        nearest island barangays but the sight from the sea was so beautiful.



                                             little jumping fishes that tease the passengers...


                                           the graveyard hours in Estancia port.


                                         a fishing vessel that was about to embark...


                                          The beautiful Sicogon Village. An island of the Municipality of Carles.