A week after Ruby hit, Eastern Samar residents still in need of help

Nearly a week after Typhoon Ruby made landfall in their province, residents of Eastern Samar still find themselves in dire need of help.

According to a report on "Saksi" aired Wednesday night, transportation, or even walking, is difficult in Barangay San Mateo in the capital city of Borongan because the area was covered by mud from the mountains that came with the floods during the storm. Ruby destroyed most houses in the village, and the ones that were able to hold up to the bad weather were left covered in mud, the report said.



The coconut trees, a main source of livelihood among residents there, were toppled by the storm and lined up on the side of San Mateo River.

Mud also caused damage in San Mateo Elementary School, where facilities, books, and computers were affected by the storm. In an interview with GMA News, school head Alodia Badilla, pleaded, "Kailangan ho namin 'yung tulong niyo, kung sino man ho ang may magandang puso, para maibalik namin 'yung school."

But properties and houses were not the only things that the village lost to Ruby. Julio Amoyo lost his three young children, who drowned during the typhoon because they didn't evacuate.

"Sobra sobrang pagsisisi dahil 'yung tatlong anak ko naubos. Walang natira. Para akong pinagsakluban ng lupa at langit," he told GMA News.

Residents were seen asking for help in Can-avid town and in Dolores, where Ruby made its first landfall over the weekend.

In San Julian, authorities and other groups had a difficult time bringing relief goods because a bridge was damaged in the storm.

Authorities are most concerned about two island barangays that have yet to recover from the effects of Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013, the report said.

Govt says situation stable

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said the situation in the province is now stable with the "emergency phase" almost over.

"Patapos na ito, stabilized na. Kumbaga sa pasyente, nasa ospital pa, pero wala na sa emergency room o sa ICU... Sa kabuuan, in terms of emergency phase, patapos na ito, stabilized na, " Roxas, who presided over a meeting of the National Disaster Coordination Council in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, said.

He noted that while quite some work is still needed to fix damage caused by Ruby, they now consider the situation stable because major supply routes are open and all towns are accessible. He added that commerce has also resumed in the area, without an increase in prices of goods.

Authorities are assessing the damage to households, as well as to government structures, he added.

"Papakainin lahat sa Eastern Samar ng two rounds, then we'll assess, then siguro ['yung mga nasa] evacuation center na lang," he also said.
 
According to Roxas, a "round" of food includes six kilos of rice, eight canned goods, and eight packs of noodles, which are supposed to last for two to three days. — Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/JDS, GMA News