Chapter 8 Disaster approaches Tacloban Philippines

It has been approximately five weeks since our wedding. On 07 November 2013 disaster is approaching the Tacloban area in the Philippines. This evening I am watching cable television in my accommodation at the mine site in Egypt. Typhoon Yolanda International, named Haiyan, headed towards the Philippines and is expected to make landfall in the Tacloban area the following morning. I had phone contact with Jerli around midnight Philippine time. We talked about the needed precautions like lose objects that may become a type of missile and staying inside the house. I was worried but knew the house was sound and robust and would protect her and the family.

The Philippines experiences typhoons regularly and is accepted as part of life. There was a difference as this Typhoon increased in intensities and would be one of the most significant storms to make landfall in known recorded history. Also, I read that Anderson Cooper and other CNN team members were already in Tacloban. I asked myself why and if this typhoon was far more than what was anticipated.

I can remember going to bed in Egypt, feeling my wife and her family will be safe, but with this churning feeling in my stomach. The typhoon made landfall in the Tacloban area at approximately 8am on 08 November 2013. In Egypt, it is 2am, and I am having trouble sleeping. I work at the mine site at 5 am, and the Typhoon is still in progress. I tried to call Jerli multiple times over the coming hours, but there was no answer. I try to stay calm but have this sick feeling inside.

I turned my work computer on and looked up the international news and was horrified. The report was centred on Tacloban city, some 35 km from our home, but it was very graphic. There were images of hundreds of bodies floating in the city streets. The city of Tacloban is close to sea level, and the storm surge produced was 4.5 meters or 18 feet. This caused severe inland flooding, and drowning was the leading cause of death.

Our house is 4km inland from the ocean, so I realized that this significant storm surge would not affect that area. Wind gusts were reported to be more than 300 km/hour. I knew there would be damage to the house but hoped it would keep Jerli and her family safe.  At this time, I was anxious and prayed, "Please, God, do not take away the love of my life."

Paul, an Australian expatriate Supervisor who also lived in the Philippines, came to my office and said, "Rob, you need to go home to your wife." I immediately approached my manager and explained the situation. The company was beneficial, and travel arrangements were made to fly back to the Philippines the next day. This trip was like no other as I was in deep thought but prayed all will be good. I could do no more. I arrived in Manila three days after the Typhoon struck. I try every 15 minutes to call Jerli, but there is no answer. Negative thoughts were now entering my mind. I continued to pray and hoped my wife and family had not been taken by this tragic event.

I am staying at a hotel in Manila and watching all the news updates. There is a mobilization of rescue to Tacloban, but thousands are dead. Communications are cut, and there are news reports of crime and looting. I was thinking about how I can get from Manila to Tacloban as the airport there was closed to commercial flights. There were two options. The first was to hire a vehicle to travel to Leyte via Samar, but there was robbery reports and not the safest area to travel to. The other was to fly to Cebu and catch a ferry to Ormoc Leyte and hire a van for the three-hour road trip to our village. This option was safer and more appealing, but first, I needed more information on the status of Jerli and her family. I was worried and felt helpless during this time, but I could do nothing other than wait for contact from Jerli.

The next day I continued to call every 15 minutes with no answer and was starting to worry more. Then around 11am the call was answered and I felt this huge relief. Jerli and her father had travelled from our village by motorcycle to a town called Bay Bay.

 The town had not been hit as hard by the typhoon, and telecommunications were still working. I asked Jerli to catch a ferry to Cebu and go to the Alta resort on Mactan Island and wait for me. Larry, the American owner, promised two nights free accommodation when I advised him on pump issues at the resort during our honeymoon. I contacted Larry and he informed me that they will look after Jerli until I can travel from Manila to Cebu.

I flew to Cebu the following morning and was reunited with Jerli and felt this huge relief. We talked about the Typhoon, but she was traumatized. I let her speak, and I just listened. As Jerli described the Typhoon events, I could sense the extreme fear and worry both she and her family experienced. The whole family feared their lives would end on that horrible day.

 Jerli was safe, but her family were still back in the village with no injuries but a lack of food and other basics. I thought now is the time to stay calm and deal with the situation.

We went to a shopping mall in Cebu City and bought canned food, rice, tarps and medical supplies. The following day, we caught a ferry from Cebu to Ormoc in the southern part of Leyte and hired a van to make the regular three-hour journey to the village. The trip was longer due to road damage and debris. The destruction during this trip was quite evident. I had asked Jerli if there was much damage to the house and her reply was "not too bad" So I had to wait and see, but I knew when we built the house, we were in a typhoon area and had the structure designed to cope.

On my first trip to the village, I took a series of pictures. It was hard to believe what I was seeing. Our house, outhouses and yard, protected approximately 100 men, women and children during the Typhoon. At the time of the Typhoon there were around 1000 people in this village. There were a few injuries to people but no loss of life. To see the damage and devastation in our town with no fatalities was a definite miracle.

View of my village after Typhoon Yolanda

Jerli had not yet been sworn in as Barangay Chairwoman. She had a big job ahead of her. Rebuilding of the village and the health and well-being of those affected by this Typhoon was a priority. Charities from all over the world came to help the people in need. Our house and other buildings on the property were some of the few still standing in our village. Different charities and relief workers are asking for our outbuildings and yards for medical care, food distribution and relief assistance. There was no need to ask; we were happy to help.

I am not rich but understood the needs of our barangay (village). The village has virtually been destroyed, and people needed shelter. While in Cebu, I also purchased and donated a 48-inch chain saw. Coconut trees had been destroyed, and they could be cut down to produce timber (lumber) to provide temporary accommodation. 

Also, some hand water pumps were destroyed. You could see people carrying buckets of water up to a kilometer from their house. I paid and had three hand water pumps installed at different locations around the village to make life a little easier during this challenging time. It has been seven years since this event, but people in the village are still grateful to this very day. I still feel very humble.

A sign in the village

In this village, they were fortunate with no fatalities. Part of the reason is the village is four kilometers inland from the Pacific Ocean. The strong winds from Typhoon Yolanda, International name Haiyan were very destructive. A typhoon with this power and magnitude also produces a sea surge which was the main cause of loss of life. From Dulag to Tacloban City over 7000 people lost their lives on 08 November 2013. Pictures were published of body bags outside of houses in Tacloban City. There were so many dead, and mass graves were dug in the Palo area. It was heartbreaking to see, but it needed to happen. Memorials stand today at these mass grave sites.

I personally knew a natural therapist in Tanauin, a town between Dulag and Tacloban City. The therapist's name was Anton, and I heard he lost his wife and two children to the Typhoon. Then I learned of more tragedy. The three young girls and two guys looked after our wedding photograph, and video coverage resided in San Jose near Tacloban airport. This area is just above sea level, and with the massive sea surge, the lives of the three girls and one of the guys were taken during this horrific Typhoon. I regard myself as strong in some ways and keep my feelings to myself. When I learnt of this tragedy, it brought me to instant tears.

This typhoon event had a significant effect on my life. I had never witnessed so much death and destruction but had to be strong for Jerli's family. It is so hard to keep your emotions inside. Even with such tragedy in this world, we wish but cannot turn back the clock. As human beings, we will always move forward in life no matter what events we face.

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