1 year after Bohol quake, wounds have yet to heal for some residents

Nearly one year after a deadly magnitude-7.2 quake devastated Bohol, the wounds have yet to heal for many of the province's residents.

 

While efforts to recover from last year's tragedy continue, some remain inconsolable as they have lost their children, GMA News' Saleema Refran.

 

"Hininiling ko sa kanilang dalawa mga anak ko, magpakita sila kahit sa panaginip lang," said Prima Empinado of Sagbayan, the epicenter of the quake.

 

She said she misses hugging her children and having meals with them and sleeping with them.

 

Her children had died in the wake of the killer quake that struck Bohol on Oct. 15 last year.

 

Another mother, Genara Somoro, said the pain has not subsided for her after a year.

 

"Dalawang araw na lang mag-iisang taon na ang mga anak ko, masakit pa rin para sa akin. Kung nakikita man nila ako alam nilang mahal ko silang mga anak ko, mababait sila," she said.

 

On the other hand, residents in Bohol said they still feel aftershocks from the quake.

 

At least 222 people were reported killed, while 976 were injured and eight reported missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.

 

The NDRRMC also said the quake affected 671,103 families or 3,221,248 people in 1,527 barangays in 60 towns in six cities in six provinces of Western and Central Visayas.

 

Church

 

Also in Bohol, efforts continue to restore the St. Michael the Archangel Parish, which sustained heavy damage from the quake.

 

Fund-raising activities are ongoing to repair the church.

 

Hope in school

 

Meanwhile, students of Sagbayan Central Elementary School are hopeful they will recover.

 

The school was heavily damaged when the quake hit, but many non-government organizations are pitching in to have new classrooms set up.

 

For now, the students are attending classes in temporary classrooms that are deemed too hot.

 

Despite the heat, many of the students are thankful to have temporary classrooms.

 

Wednesday, Oct. 15 will be a special non-working holiday in Bohol to commemorate the first anniversary of the earthquake.

 

Under Proclamation 887, it is a day for prayer and thanksgiving. —Joel Locsin/KG, GMA News