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.
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.
nearest island barangays but the sight from the sea was so beautiful.
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.