Town of Hernani still reeling from Yolanda a month later

A month after Typhoon Yolanda hit central Philippines, the town of Hernani in Eastern Samar is still reeling from the destruction brought by the strongest typhoon ever recorded, a television report said Thursday.

In his report at “News To Go,” GMA's Hadji Rieta said many of the houses destroyed in the storm have yet to be repaired. Some homeowners have even put up signs saying, “Help us rebuild our houses.”



Only scraps of wood are left of what used to be rows of houses along the seaside. The seawall that used to protect the residents from big waves was also destroyed by the storm surge.

The town's municipal hall was destroyed.The school buildings were also damaged, preventing the resumption of classes. According to the report, the teachers are scouring the area to salvage whatever teaching and reading materials can still be used. They are also trying to set up temporary classrooms.

The national government has started the construction of bunkhouses for the affected residents, who are still sleeping in tents or in their damaged homes.

Some fishermen have also tried to rebuild their houses using donated materials and the scraps of wood and tin sheets they found on the road.

The television report also said that the town's food supply will last until January, but what the mayor is concerned about is the lack of livelihood for his constituents.

The report said many residents have decided to leave the municipality and stay with their relatives either in Manila or in other provinces because of the lack of opportunity to rebuild their lives.

It further said that power and mobile phone coverage in Hernani have yet to be fully restored. In fact, the municipal hall is still using a generator just to provide services to the people. — Amita O. Legaspi/BM, GMA News