TACLOBAN PHILIPPINES TYPHOON YOLANDA 4TH ANNIVERSERY NEVER FORGET

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TYPHOON YOLANDA INTERNATIONAL NAME HAIYAN AN EVENT IN HISTORY  ONE SHOULD NEVER FORGET 08 NOVEMBER 2013

A foreigner’s personal story – that will stay in my mind for ever!

I had just been married for 6 weeks. The wedding was held at Tadyaw Resort in Tolosa which was a beautiful setting for such a happy and great day. I had return to Egypt from Tacloban to the mine site about two weeks before typhoon struck. i was working at a mine site as an Australian Expatriate. At the mine site we had cable TV and I was fully aware the typhoon was massive and it turned out to be the biggest storm to make landfall in known recorded history.  I lost contact with my wife on the day Typhoon Yolanda struck. I was 5000 miles away and felt so helpless.  This was one of the most stressful and worrying times in my life.
Link to personal story

Life after Typhoon Yolanda International name Haiyan

It has been 4 years since Typhoon Yolanda hit Tacloban 08 November 2013 in which thousands of people perished and destruction was devastating. As you drive from Dulag to Tacloban you pass a number of Memorial’s. Some of these sites are mass graves. This is sad but a reminder of how strong and severe Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) really was.
The barangay where I live in the Dulag area was also devastated but by the grace of God there was no loss of life. In an article with such an event is very hard to describe in words what you are seeing. My first impression as I drove in our barangay (village) five days after the typhoon was the vision of a war zone. It was so hard to imagine winds could be so strong and cause so much damage. This barangay is four kilometers inland from the sea so the sea surge was not an issue.
THE VIEW AS WE DROVE TO OUR HOUSE FIVE DAYS AFTER THE TYPHOON

What I and my  wife did to help!

I am not a rich foreigner but my wife and I did what we could. As our house and other buildings on the property were still standing, various charities and other organizations asked for use of our property to distribute food, other essential items. This was offered and really they did not have to ask. We just wanted to help.
CHARITIES SETTING UP FOR DISTRIBUTION OF RELEF GOODS IN OUR FRONT YARD
We also purchased a new 48 inch chain saw in Cebu and donated to the barangay (village) to help with temporary building materials. Many coconut trees were destroyed and were a source of temporary building timber (lumber) Shelter of any kind was so important to many people and this did help until other relief and aid was offered.
There was a shortage of hand water pumps in the barangay (village) before the typhoon. With a number of pumps damaged and destroyed we donated and installed four new pumps at different locations in the village.
PEOPLE COMMING TO OUR PROBERTY TO RECIEVE RELIEF GOODS FROM CHARITY ORGANISATIONS

Our Barangay (Village) in November 2017

This barangay has over 1000 residents and what a change I have observed over the last four years. All residences have been rebuilt or repaired. There are more sari sari stores, bakeries and other small businesses. It is proof the Philippine people are very resilient in the face of disaster, moving forward in life.


THE SAME VIEW AS ABOVE  DRIVING TO MY HOUSE 4 YEARS AFTER TYPHOON YOLANDA

Final thoughts

I can still remember the despair and fear of the future by people in this barangay after typhoon Yolanda (International name Haiyan). Four years have passed and people have rebuilt their lives with the help of the Government and many charity Organizations.
Life goes on but the 08 November 2013 the day Typhoon Yolanda struck should never be forgotten.

Follow my blog if you wish and all the best from Robbie in and around Tacloban

Twitter @robertmva













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