Messages of hope: More letters from Yolanda survivors

Unable to communicate with friends and family directly, residents from areas in Eastern Samar ravaged by super typhoon Yolanda put their pleas into writing and gave them to Katrina Son, a GMA News reporter assigned to the province.

Read: 'Buhi kami tanan': Yolanda survivors send messages to loved ones

With a prayer that the messages would reach those they were intended for, Son passed the notes on to this site. As there were no telecommunications services in the area, she had to use special equipment and the sporadic internet connection to send them.



Though some of the messages carried heartbreaking news, most contained quickly-scribbled reassurances.

"Buhay pa kami, pero wala kaming makain at tirahan," read one, a sentiment echoed in most of the letters.

"'Wag po kayong mag-alala," read another, short but nevertheless soothing.

A little smiling emoticon punctuated one message, keeping the tone light in defiance of the circumstances and serving as an unexpected symbol of the indomitability of the human spirit.

We have redacted the cellphone numbers of the intended recipients:

1. From Rachel Rojo
Pls txt these numbers
[numbers redacted]
I'm ok here in Borongan
I'm still stranded
To Joan Lacson
Giz, Makati

 2. From Steven A. Chua
Guiuan, Eastern Samar
Ate Liza, wag nang mag-alala dito sa amin sa Guiuan, sa awa ng Diyos ok lang sina mama at papa.
To Liza A. Chua
Madrid, Spain

3. From Linda
Auntie, safe kaming lahat dito.... wala kaming contact pa ka Edwin nasa Tacloban sila, walang signal....
To Felisa Veloso

4. To Peddy Orias
Wag kayo mag-alala dito samin. Ok lang kame dito lahat pati sa San jose, Manicani, lahat kami nakaligtas sa bagyo mga bahay lang ang sira. Pakisabi kay Uncle Silong na wag sila mag-alala sa Manicane kc lahat kame nakaligtas.

5. Pampie/Andrew Ok
OK Olsen Arroyo, Iloilo
Dante Arroyo, Iloilo
Ruta Arroyo, Batangas
Cameloter Family, Ormoc
Gerardine OK
Loreto Santiago [unreadable]
Vivian Oliveria OK

6. Hazel Abinyon
From [unreadable]

7. Punong Brgy. Culasi
Island of Homonhon
[unreadable] Naputo
Wala pong namatay. Wag po kayong mag-alala na nandito sa Maynila.

8. From Dreo [?] Family
Sabulao Family
Labutap Family
Roncaler Family
Siguan Family
Cabacaba Family
Dela Cruz Family
Guian, Eastern Samar

Nananawagan po kami doon sa mga kamag-anakan namin diyan sa Manila, Las Piñas City, Cavite City, at kung saan pa mang lugar na may kamag-anak kami. Sa awa ng Diyos, ligtas naman kami dito sa Guiuan kahit nawalan kami ng mga tirahan mga wala ng masuot, nahihirapang makakuha ng maiinom, at wala ng mga makain. Humuhingi kami ng tulong sa inyo.

9. From Remedios Acal
Ate Inday eto lang po kami mabuti na, andito pa kami sa evacuation center. Wag na kayong mag-alala mabuti na kalagayan namin
To Regina Altizon
Litex, Commonwealth Hgh.

10. From Vero - Cara Cabacaba
From Romeo Capistrano - Cesar Capistrano

From Tintin Begonia
We're still alive but homeless.
To April Opriana
Cynthia Ricardo, Canada
Eric cordero
Fely Dela Cruz
Aileen Cordero-Gonzales, USA
Junie Ubungen, USA
Emy Orpiana
Pearl Orpiana, Australia
Jeanna Cordero

From [unreadable] - Rosary Joy T. Servaro
From Esperanza Cotin - Norman Cotin
From Adrian Bernardo - Allan Bernardo

11. From Bilda
Fe ok kaming lahat pero walang bahay at pagkain
si manag patay at si vanessa

From Nestor
Mikel ok kaming lahat sira bahay, walang pagkain

12. From Belen
[unreadable] mga buhay pa kami pero wala kaming makain at tirahan. Lahat ng bahay dito sa [unreadable] walang natira, tulungan niyo kami [unreadable] sabi [unreadable] kay ate rita

13. From Sawaan & Masangkay Family
Kailangan po namin ng tulong sa mga panahon na ito dahil wala na kaming makain at matirahan, sana tulungan niyo po kami sa lalong madaling panahon. :) Salamat
To Arturo Martinez & Too Family
Quezon Family, Valenzuela

14. From Janet & Ceina
Ok la kami
To Siony Ogorio & Nila Barnachea

15. From Imelda Javier, BCA Chairperson
Panawagan kay Joan Lacson ng GIZ Makati ang training sa Borongan City, Eastern Samar ay tuloy-tuloy pa rin short na po kami sa supples
To Joan Lacson
GIZ Main Office, Makati

16. From Brgy. Ol, Poblacion, Balangkayan, Eastern Samar
Pinapaalam sa mga anak na sina Nerie Montes, Dolly Gunda, at Fe [unreadable] na ang inyong tatay na si Roberto [unreadable] Sr. ay pumanaw na kagabi (Nov. 11, 2013) dahil sa sakit na asthma.
To Nerie Montes, Dolly Gunda, Fe [unreadable]

17. To Maricel Gayoso, Manila
Bryan Gajol, Cebu City
Karen Catada
ok kami

From Labutap Family
Gagarin Family
To Thelia Soriano
Jonathan Gagarin

18. From Justine Pendon
Daddy wag ka mag-alala sa akin ok lang ako dito. Awa ng diyos. Ingat kyo dyan
To Mario Pendon

From Eunice
Thanks God Hon ok kami lahat walang injured. Problema milk ni bb Gaile sana makauwi ka dito
From Michael Polistico

19. From Lea Honastrio
Need help
To Rosario [unreadable]

From Abigail P. Somoray
bhe, okeyla kami po ngadi tanan, waray injury tanx God.
To Elizar Borrel Abillar

From Abigail Somoray
Ate Myro Okeyla po kami, tanx God waray naiban at famil waray injury
To Myra Somoray

20. From Ian Guimbaolibot
We would like to inform all of you that Brgy. Cagusu-an, Homonhon is okay :) No casualties, only damage to properties.
To Antonio Guimbaolibot
Antonio Ibanez
Allan Guimbaolibot — Rie Takumi/BM, GMA News