Odette-battered communities looking forward to better conditions
While most families and communities welcomed the New Year 2022 with a bang, many communities in some areas of Cebu and Bohol and other parts of the Philippines had only the stars and the cold as they endured yet another night in the aftermath of the ferocious Super Typhoon Odette (Rai).
Severely ravaged by the storm, towns in Cebu and Bohol, three weeks post-disaster, continue to be challenged by the absence of electrical power as linemen labor 24/7 to repair seriously damaged distribution systems.
Even worse than the cold and darkness that families and communities endured over the Christmas holidays, hunger and illness are fast catching up on them. The supply of food and potable water is limited. Many are reporting gastrointestinal diseases.
A man walks through the mud to look for drinking water in Bohol
Roseline who lives in Pinamungajan town with her family managed a quivery smile in the days after Christmas, “Pasalamat gihapon mi nga buhi mi tanan. Naka-celebrate man mi sa Pasko bisan ginagmay lang. Sa New Year, magluto lang mi ug unsa’y naa.” (We’re thankful that we all survived. We were able to celebrate Christmas, albeit simply. For New Year’s we will still prepare whatever is available.)
Whatever is available may well be just cans of sardines and instant noodles if they are lucky. These are the items that are usually in the relief packs being distributed to affected families. With so many needing help, however, affected families get very little and supplies run out fast.
Roseline’s story and her spirit repeat themselves in many who have been left in dire conditions by the strong winds and rains of Odette.
Helen lives in another barangay in Pinamungajan. Her home was totally destroyed by the storm. The family braves the cold January air every night in the makeshift shanty where their house used to be. “Wa lang mi moadto sa evacuation center kay mahadlok man pod mi kawaton unya ning among mga butang. Amo lang pod gibantayan kay mao ra gyod ni ang nahabilin namo,” she says. (We didn’t go to the evacuation center because we have to watch that our things do not get stolen. These are all we have left, you see.)
The local government units, together with private aid organizations and individuals, are extending various forms of assistance to those affected by the typhoon. The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) is distributing food, drinking water, portable power generators, and construction materials.
The RAFI rapid assessment teams, dispatched as soon as the winds subsided, report devastation as far as the eyes can see in most areas through which Odette passed. Very badly-hit were towns like Tuburan, Balamban, Barili, Pinamungajan, Badian, Alegria, Ronda, Alcantara, Dumanjug, Moalboal, Malabuyoc, Samboan, Alcoy, Argao, Toledo City and Sibonga in south Cebu, Compostela, Carmen, Catmon and Danao City in the north. In Bohol, so many communities in the towns of Clarin, Inabanga, and Sagbayan are reeling from the effects of the typhoon.
RAFI distributes relief packs to the Municipality of Malabuyoc
So much work needs to be done. So many families need help. Volunteers and LGUs are finding it hard to determine who to prioritize for assistance.
However, with Roseline and Helen and many others like them fiercely hoping for better days, it is hard for those helping them to give in to the stress, despite the overwhelming odds on-site. They soldier on.
In Toledo City, municipal employees skipped their Christmas party in solidarity with residents who could not enjoy lavish celebrations.
An employee of the Pinamungajan LGU draws inspiration from typhoon victims, “What’s good about us, Cebuanos, especially the people of Pinamungajan, is that we can still afford to smile despite the effects of these disasters. We still smile despite the difficulties and challenges we are facing.”
A happy resident of the Municipality of Malabuyoc after receiving her relief pack. Each pack is good for a household of 5.
With each brand-new sunrise, hope is etched on the storm-ravaged communities. With every new day, they hang on to the likelihood that this will be the day power will be restored, that they might be able to eat three square meals, or that they will receive supplies to rebuild their homes.
RAFI remains unwavering in its mission to bring the help extended by partners and donors to their intended recipients, families like Roseline’s and Helen’s. To date, RAFI already released 33,594 relief packs throughout Cebu and Bohol.
To further prepare for the rehabilitation and recovery phase, RAFI will craft the design of the starter house models for displaced indigent families. Plans for psychosocial support initiatives for families, children, and humanitarian workers are also being created. Updates on RAFI’s response efforts can be monitored on the RAFI Website.
RAFI is open for partnerships. Its Donation Hub is OPEN for donations and support from local and international organizations, as well as from individual donors. Donations will be used for the provision of immediate relief of affected families and communities.
Interested partners may contact RAFI through their email address eoc@rafi.ph or through the following numbers 265-5914 (landline), 0917-633-2936 (Globe), and 0933-879-2966 (Sun).
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