Humans of ‘Haiyan’

Second of a series

By Lottie Salarda

TACLOBAN CITY – It’s been two years since I have witnessed the resiliency of the survivors of typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas. Few months back, I have decided to collect 24 small stories of ordinary survivors and photographed them. It showed different expressions of courage, faith, and resilience. The 24 strong survivors represent the 24 months after the disaster.

With the 24 people I met, I learned a lot of lessons in life personally. Their small stories have been my source of inspiration of moving on in life. I intend to preserve their stories for the rest of my life that’s why I have printed it.

The 24 stories would reflect on what is really happening in the ground two years after the storm. I spend a part of my earnings for this personal project just for the limited readers to understand our flight back in Eastern Visayas. Here are just some of the humans of Haiyan.

SURVIVORS’ TALES

Arman Librea, 44 years old, fishpond caretaker, San Joaquin, Palo, Leyte

The storm surge wiped out the City of Tacloban including the coastal towns of the province of Leyte. I met Arman Librea, 44 years old of San Joaquin, Palo, Leyte. His village was one of the biggest in the said town. They have the highest number of casualties and fatalities recorded after the storm.

He is a fishpond caretaker and now living in his small hut which materials were donated by an international organization. I noticed that the man is quiet and I can see in his eyes that there is something bothering him–until I learned his story.

He lost his two sons and his wife during the storm. When he narrated his story of survival and on how he tried to save his family, my tears fell. I knew that deep in his heart he has lots of questions and regrets. He managed to bring his family to the Barangay Hall to evacuate thinking that the place is safe for them. But the water covered the whole village and drowned lots of people including his family.

He holds his children to the best that he can but because of the strong impact of the waves he was able to release them unintentionally.

He was hit by a log in his head that made him unconscious underwater. Luckily, while still unconscious he remembered that someone had whispered to him to swim back and survived. He managed to collect his thoughts and wake up under water. He immediately swam and looked for his children.

Unfortunately, they were gone. He looked after them but to no avail. At the moment, he managed to save himself and try to recover. When the water had already subsided, he looked for his family. He found his youngest son’s dead body near the barangay hall.

He felt nothing when he saw the dead body of his son. He brought him inside the Barangay hall and kept him safe in case another storm surge would hit. He found his eldest and his wife almost three days after the storm.

These sad events brought by the disaster that caused the life of his family have never been erased in his memories until now. Librea admitted that there were times when he tried to close his eyes to rest, he still hears his children calling him “Papa”.

Although, two years after the disaster he was provided a decent shelter, he still feel the pain of the wounds that even time can’t heal. He thinks of them every second of the day. He devotes his time working at the fishpond where he earns a small amount for a living.

Librea doesn’t notice that he was experiencing the thing called “depression”.

Members of the family who survived the storm were not prioritized to be counseled to overcome the trauma and the depression that they felt.

Despite on what happened to Librea, I still feel the courage in his eyes that is trying to prove the resiliency of true blooded “waraynon.”

Here are some striking quotes from my encounter with other survivors.

Cedrick Agresan, 12 years old, Tacloban Bunkhouse dweller

“Eto nalang ang mga natirang medalya na nasalba ko noong bagyo. Nakatira kami sa may SHED area nawasak ang bahay namin. Noong nakaraang taon isa ako sa mga nakasama sa “Eye See photography workshop” ng UNICEF. Gusto kong maging photojournalist baling araw. Gusto kong kunan ng litrato ang mga nattitirang magagandang mga lugar sa Pilipinas.”

Leoneil Orbeta, 33 years old, Security Guard, Sitio Bangon, Brgy Canmanila Basey Samar

“Hindi namin alam kung kelan kami lilipat sa permanent shelter. Sabi doon sa munisipyo binu-bouldozer na daw yung lupa. Naku! Magdadalawang taon na ganun yun palang ang nagagawa nila.” Hindi na kami safe dito, marurupok na ang mga foundation ng bunkhouse na ito. Tingnan mo yung ilalim, yung foundation niya medjo malaki lang ng kunti sa dos por dos at coco lumber pa. Ang mahirap niyan ay kung may malakas na hangin, parang domino kami dito. Sana naman i-klaro nila kung may lilipatan ba kami o wala. Yung mahirap naging sobrang mahirap hindi agad makabangon, buti naman yung mayayaman kahit kelan pwede silang bumangon.”

Manolo Gregorio, 56 years old, Photographer, Scandinavian Village Tacloban City

“Una kong binalot ng plastic ang camera ko, syempre ito yung ginagamit ko sa hanapbuhay eh. Buti nalang hindi siya nabasa.1976 noong magsimula akong kumuha ng litrato. Enero noong nakaraang taon ako bumalik sa pwesto ko para maghanapbuhay ulit. Mas madali ngayon kasi digital na hindi gaya dati na black and white at film pa. Mahirap mag-edit dati, ngayon sobrang dali na. Masaya ako kahit 200 or 300 lang ang kita sa isang araw at hindi permanente yun, alam mo naman ang freelancer.”

Letecia Mamita, 65 years old, delicacy vendor, Brgy Lusad, Dagami Leyte

“Ako na yata ang pinakahuling bumalik sa pagtitinda ng mga moron at binagol dito sa helerang ito. Noong nakaraang buwan palang na-release ang aming eme-gency shelter assistance kaya naman inuna ko ang bubong namin. Nagkaroon ako ng peace of mind ng makabili kami ng yero para sa bahay. Naku mahirap talaga pag hindi pa ayos ang bahay mo, hindi kapa talaga makapagsimula sa buhay agad-agad.”