By Maritoni L. Saberon | Project Officer
The survivors were aghast at how the storm surge turned the entire community of Bislig in Tanauan, Leyte a vast dumpsite. Antonia, 38, recalled how garbage took over their houses that were smashed when Haiyan struck eastern Philippines in 2013.
“Kay haraniay man kami sa dagat, dako ang kadaot sa Yolanda. Damo patay, damo siot, damong mga puno na lubi. Nangahawan na gyud diri. Waray nabilin. Waray na gyud (Since we live near the shore, typhoon Haiyan caused great damage. Many died. There was much garbage, many coconut trees (everywhere). Everything was washed out. Nothing was left. Everything was gone,” she said.
A mother of six children, Antonia was worried about how they could survive the tragedy. There was nothing left at all except that tiny hope in her heart that everything will be all right. She decided to be strong for her family. She took measures, first making sure that all her children were safe. Then, food was another challenge that she faced head on. Together with her son, Ricky, she walked barefooted amidst piles of dead bodies just to get food from torn down stores. They looted boxes of milk, sugar and biscuits and brought them to the church where they sought refuge. These were all that sustained them for several days because relief goods seldom reached their place.
Four days after the typhoon, they went back to the place where their house used to stand. There, she met his husband, Rolando, who after all was alive. They built their makeshift house using materials they picked up from the garbage.
Driven by the hardship to earn a living, they turned a refrigerator box to a fishing boat so that they could catch fish. Their ingenuity caught the attention of the Children’s Joy Foundation, Inc. or CJFI volunteers which inspired its administration to distribute fishing boats to the fishermen in worst-hit areas.Rolando and his son Ricky were among the first batch to receive a fishing boat two years ago.
Ricky sets sail early in the morning everyday. “Nagalaot siya sa dagat, alas kuwatro pa (ng umaga). Nung nadungis siya liwat alas diyes. Kay wala mang bigas, binibenta namin ang isda. Ang sobra among sud-an. (He sets sail starting 4 a.m. He comes back at 10 a.m. When we have no rice, we sell some fish. Whatever is left is our viand),” Antonia said. They also bought a bigger boat from their savings.
Her husband also tries his best to provide for his family by selling dried fish to stores and houses in another village. “Itong tuyo, umuutang lang ako. Tapos pagdating ko jan na ang bayad. Tapos niri-repack ko. Tapos P100 isang kilo, ginagawa kung anim para may P20 naman akong tubo bawat kilo (I just loan these dried fishes. I pay when I come back. They trust me because I have been doing this for a long time. I repack them. I make six packs out of one kilo of dried fish. I earn US$0.42 for each kilo.),” Rolando shared while heading towards the bus stop with his goods. In a week, he earns a measly income of P300 or US$6.84 for a big family.
Three of their younger children currently attend the public school nearby. Marlyn, six, managed to finish the day care program last March 2015 despite her bout with meningitis. She is a first grader at the same school where his older brother goes to.
Theirs is a story of victory after a storm, a testimony of Filipino’s adaptability to various situations.It could not have been easier to overcome the frustrating circumstances without the help of generous benefactors.“Dako nga pasalamat, dako nga bulig nang Global Giving sa amon (Thank you so much. Global Giving is such a big help to us)," Antonia said.
For the family, the future holds no promises of a better life but each of them has promised to stay together in every storm that threatens their very existence.
This holiday season, you can extend your help by making a one-time donation to sustain our long term initiatives for typhoon Haiyan victims. You may also give a monthly donation as low as $10 to make a bigger impact in their lives. Let’s share the warmth and joy of the season starting today. Happy Holidays!
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