TACLOBAN CITY – SIX ships that rammed hapless houses a few meters near Anibong St., stood out among the ruins of supertyphoon Yolanda in this once vibrant city. Another ship was washed ashore until it reached the street itself. These ships, transported from sea to way inland, served as mute testament to the full power of the apocalyptic winds and the storm surge that supertyphoon Yolanda had whipped up on that fateful morning of Nov.8.
This is ground zero of supertyphoon Yolanda’s wrath which brought images of enigmatic destruction never before seen by this generation — images that could have very well happened in a well-plot fictional movie. But this is real life. And life goes on – and must go on – for Yolanda’s survivors.
On Friday, Nov. 29, this ground zero became the center of a massive relief distribution of the Iglesia Ni Cristo where more than a hundred thousand relief packs — each containing four kilos of rice, noodles and canned goods — were given to the typhoon survivors. This was just two days after the INC conducted a massive relief and medical mission in Ormoc City on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
The INC’s building of worship, along this street, which had sheltered almost a hundred residents in three barangays in its
vicinity during the height of Yolanda’s wrath, became the center of relief distribution and medical mission under the INC’s “Lingap sa Mamamayan.”
Clearing operations along Anibong street started a day before, starting Thursday afternoon, with the help of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) so that the trucks containing the food packs and other relief supplies could pass by. But of course, no amount of clearing equipment can move a ship by the roadside, so they let it be and concentrated on the various debris piled up on the road.
The INC’s relief distribution began at around 8 a.m. Friday, as people lined up the street fronting the INC chapel, starting early morning. The fast-paced distribution surprised the residents, as there are times that they had to walk fast – even jog – so that more people could be given relief goods.
“Okay na okay ito. Makatutulong na ito nang malaki. Marami pong salamat,” said Mang Pete Daroy, 56, as he clutched the relief bag that contained the rice that they needed to survive. He came all the way from Palo, Leyte that was equally devastated by Yolanda.
“Baka puede pang bumalik?” he asked as he walked past volunteers.
Those guarding the lines said they understood their situation and allowed the people to go back in line, provided they would start at the very back.
Demetria Ogario, 52, said she was very happy that day as she watched over her small makeshift stall. She is selling some biscuits, coffee and some cigarettes along the street, so she cannot leave her “store”. It was good that her granddaughter, Jezzel, 9, was able to line up and get a few relief packs.
“Sa iba, isang relief bag lang kada pamilya. Mabuti rito puede ang bata. Balik-balik pa,” said Aling Demetria.
As she viewed her few bags of relief goods piled up behind her, she said, “Mahina nga. Ayaw mang magbalik,” she said of her apo’s resistance to go back to the distribution line.
Their house was destroyed by Yolanda but all the family members are intact.
Patrocinia Bacoy, 74, said she would never forget super-typhoon Yolanda for the rest of her life.
“Kanya-kanyang ligtas ng buhay,” she said of what happened in the morning of Nov. 8.
But her family was lucky. All of them, even her grandchildren, managed to go to higher ground when Yoland unleashed her fury. She experienced wading in almost neck-deep waters. She was lucky she had survived she said. Their house is gone now, so are all their belongings. But they are all safe, even her nephews, her daughter-in-law — who had just given birth when the typhoon struck — and her baby too.
“Makatutulong ito sa amin nang malaki,” she said as the rice they got from the INC’s “Lingap sa Mamamayan” would last for days.
The bags of relief goods were being replenished by the trucks that kept coming in. A barge was hired by the INC to transport at least 17 trucks and other vehicles for the relief and medical mission which was done in cooperation with the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation, Inc., the INC charitable arm.
“Lahat po ng ito ay bilang pagmamahal po namin sa inyo,” said a man using a megaphone as the relief bags were piled high on the tables for distribution.
Zedrick Sabusap, 12, and his cousin, Raincel, 10, said their family was very grateful that they heeded the warnings of INC officers to get into the INC structure as there would be a powerful storm surge.
“Dito ang aming bahay dati. (Our house stood here before),” said Zedrick’s mother Rutzyl Sabusap, 28, pointing to a desolate spot with no standing structure now.
“Kung hindi kami nakapunta sa loob ng kapilya ng Iglesia, namatay na kami,” she said. “Yung iba, ayaw pumunta kahit anong tawag sa kanila.”
Even his father who had prostate cancer managed to climb up to the INC chapel. Inside they were safe, she said.
Now, they have rice enough to survive for days, and they are very thankful, Rutzyl said.
Before the relief distribution, INC General Auditor Glicerio B. Santos Jr., addressed those gathered inside the INC district worship building. He said that the INC Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo wanted them to know that they should not lose hope even in these times of crisis.
He relayed the executive minister’s message that while the INC Church Administration would help them in the best way that it could, the best thing that they could do is to pray to God Who could do miracles in their lives.
Afterwards, a minister led the prayer for the Yolanda survivors inside the INC chapel. This was important to those who were gathered inside — even more than the food packs that would be shared to them that day.
“This will make the people here feel loved and cared for, and this is more important.
During the relief mission, people were anxious to get their share of relief packs. Some got more than they needed. But in the end, they realized there were lots of people who had not gotten any relief pack yet, and decided to give way to them.
Alfredo Kimpis, 71, said he was surprised that the flow of relief bags seemed to be endless, since the barangays had limited distributions for relief.
“Mabuti rito marami. Parang di nauubos. Sa iba, kaunti lang,” Kimpis said.
Most of the residents rely on relief distributions, like this, for their daily food.
Rice was very important, said the residents, as some already had access to water.
“Malaking tulong itong bigas, kasi wala kaming mabili sa tindahan,” said Jenalyn Eder, 35.
People also lined up for a medical check-up, where they were given free medicines and vitamins. There were vitamins and medicines for the elderly and for babies too.
Gregorio Millano, 77, had his leg treated for an infected wound that had been previously stitched by a Korean medical team near the airport. He was thankful that there were medical volunteers from the INC mission who came near their homes as it hurt for him to walk long distances, he said.
Before lunch time, more than a hundred thousand relief packs had been distributed. And people went home with wide smiles on their faces.
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Donna Cueto-Ybanez
Eagle News Service