Rising from the ruins: Survivors rebuild lives six months after Yolanda

(Updated 3:50 p.m.) An hour before midnight half a year after the event that would change everything, Lolito Dezio Jr. was still in the plaza of San Jose Parish Church, selling barbeque and refreshments at the church's patio together with his wife and four other couples from their neighborhood.

 

Since his family went back to Tacloban a month after super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) wiped out their home in Brgy. Marasbaras on the boundary of Tacloban and Palo, Leyte, Dezio has learned to maximize his time to earn extra income.

 

“Pandagdag din sa kita itong barbeque business namin. Kung hindi kami magdo-doble kayod, walang mangyayari. Ayaw na naming umasa sa gobyerno. Masasaktan lang kami,” Dezio told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

It was past 3 a.m. and he and his wife just got "home"—a rented cramped room where they are temporarily staying with their 10-year-old twin daughters and his sister.

 

At 7 a.m. Dezio will begin preparing for his day job as a driver of an international non-government organization operating in Tacloban. His wife, on the other hand, will head to a public elementary school in their barangay where she teaches.

 

Slowly rising up

 

“Unti-unti naman na bumabalik sa normal ang buhay namin dito. Nag-grant ng housing loan ang GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation, Ltd), 'yung pinapasukan ko na NGO. Hopefully, in the coming months masimulan na 'yung reconstruction ng bahay namin, kaya todo kayod din kaming mag-asawa para dun sa pagpapatayo ng bahay,” Dezio said, adding GIZ also provided a temporary shelter for his family in Maasin City, Southern Leyte after the typhoon's onslaught.

 

It was in December of last year when his family decided to go back to Brgy. Marasbaras to rebuild their home. Dezio said they have received relief goods from the local government only three times.

 

“'Yung iba nga dun sa binigay nila hindi naman namin nakain kasi expired na. Talagang ang bagal ng tulong galing sa gobyerno. Alam namin na kumikilos naman sila. Talagang ang bagal lang. Hindi namin maintindihan kung bakit. Samantalang 'yung mga international NGOs ang bilis mag-mobilize ng mga tao,” Dezio lamented.

 

“Kaya nga sabi naming magkakapitbahay, tayo na mismo ang gumawa ng paraan para magsimula uli. 'Wag na tayong umasa sa gobyerno,” Dezio said.

 

Starting from scratch

 

It was three days before Christmas when private school teacher Melafer Daban and her family decided to return to Paraiso Street, Brgy. San Jose, Tacloban City only to find their house completely wrecked.

 

“Talagang wasak ang bahay namin. Flooring na lang ang natira. Pinagtagpi-tagpi namin ang mga yero at plywood at dun pa rin kami nag-Pasko. Mahal talaga namin 'yung bahay,” Daban, a mother of three boys aged 13, 12 and three, said.

 

With her meager salary and her husband's sideline as a carpenter in several construction projects, Daban remains optimistic that they can rebuild their home within the year. She said they would rather stay in their makeshift shelter than in temporary bunkhouses built by the government.

 

“Nakakaipon naman kahit pakonti-konti. Salamat sa tulong ng mga international organizations at religious groups,” Daban said, adding that aside from her salary, the private school where she is working is giving P400 monthly financial assistance for the education of her kids.

 

But like Dezio, Daban lamented the slow action of the government.

 

“Talagang mabagal. Sana man lang they can offer livelihood assistance or puhunan to start a small business, para 'yung mga tao sa barangay namin hindi na umaasa sa reliefs,” Daban said.

 

Back to business

 

For Tommy Yu, seeing his wife and four children alive after Yolanda's onslaught was all he could ask for. The owner of a car rental business, Yu was approached on November 8 by a media outfit from Manila about to cover the typhoon. Thus, at the height of Yolanda's wrath, Yu was among those who were trapped inside Oriental Hotel in Palo together with several media personalities.

“Parang hindi na kami makakalabas ng buhay dun. Ang ipinagdadasal ko na lang nun sana makaligtas 'yung pamilya ko na nasa bahay,” Yu recounted.

 

Surprisingly, Yu was left unscathed after Yolanda's visit. He arrived safely at his home in Maharlika Highway in Brgy. Abucay; all his family members were also safe.

 

“Masuwerte 'yung barangay namin kasi malayo sa coastal area. Hindi kami inabot ng storm surge. 'Yung bahay, halos hindi naman na-damage,” Yu said.

 

But one problem confronted the Yu family—one week had already passed and relief assistance had yet to reach their area.

 

“Actually, before pa dumating 'yung bagyo nag-stock na kami ng food supplies good for one week. Pero nakalagpas na ang one week wala pa ring dumadating na relief goods sa barangay namin. Karamihan sa mga kapitbahay namin nagsi-alisan na. Mamamatay ka kasi talaga sa gutom e,” Yu recounted.

 

“Total chaos na talaga. Ang dami nang nagkakasakit. There were lootings everywhere, tapos may report pa ng raping and killings. That's when I decided it's time to leave,” he added.

 

On board the military's C-130 plane, the Yu family joined other survivors on their way to Manila after more than a week of extreme hunger.

 

For three months, Yu and his family lived with his sister in Brgy. Baesa, Quezon City. But in February, they decided to come back.

 

“Sabi ko sa kanila (his family), 'Sa Tacloban pa rin tayo magsisimula ulit. Nandun ang bahay natin. Doon tayo babangon,'” Yu said.

 

Now, Yu is back with his car rental business, while his wife is running an internet shop in Downtown, Tacloban.

 

“Ang mga business operation dito unti-unti nang bumabalik sa normal. Naniniwala ako na babangon kami. Makakabangon ang Tacloban. Pero sana naman ang gobyerno isantabi muna 'yung politika. Focus muna sa pagtulong dito,” Yu said.

 

Just pledges

 

In a separate phone interview, Palo, Leyte Municipal Planning Development Coordinator Armand Cabaltera admitted that there is indeed a delay in coming up with a master plan on how to rehabilitate the areas affected by Yolanda, including the municipality of Palo.

 

“To be honest, nababagalan din kami, but I am sure that the national government is doing its best to come up with an efficient plan that addresses the key issues such as livelihood, resettlement, support services and social services,” Cabaltera said.

 

Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson earlier admitted they have yet to come up with a rehabilitation master plan six months after Yolanda wreaked havoc in central Philippines, leaving 6,245 people dead, 28,626 injured and 1,039 missing. The typhoon also damaged P39 billion worth of property.

 

Cabaltera however assured that there are overwhelming pledges from the private sectors.

 

“We continuously receive pledges from the private sector and international NGOs for our livelihood and resettlement programs. 'Yun nga lang, sa planning talaga tayo natatagalan. Aminado naman ako diyan, but we are doing our best,” Cabaltera said.

 

He said for the municipality of Palo alone, private companies and international NGOs pledged to build 1,560 permanent houses for the relocation of 741 households from the “no-build zone” areas, or those 40 meters away from the seashore.

 

Cabaltera said the Tzu Chi Foundation also pledged to build 500 temporary bunkhouses where affected residents can stay for three to five years, while the permanent houses are being constructed.

 

“But of course, all of these are pledges pa lang. Lots of work need to be done,” Cabaltera said.

 

Right now, what the government of Palo managed to achieve was the construction of a few temporary bunkhouses—384 in Brgy. Tacuranga and 360 in Brgy. Candihoc, respectively. 

 

But only 279 families from the municipality's six coastal barangays had so far moved to these temporary bunk units—48 families to Tacuranga and 231 families to Candihoc. —KG, GMA News