More than a month after typhoon Reming
Slow Recovery for Albay Residents

Residents of affected baranggays (villages) in Albay province share common stories of hardship and trauma as a result of typhoon Reming which hit the Bicol region last November 30. More than a month after the tragedy, they are trying to move on despite the difficulties of losing not just properties but also their loved ones.

BY JAMES P. LOPEZ
Contributed to Bulatlat

DARAGA, Albay (about 500 kms from Manila) — Eleven-year-old boy Bobet walks aimlessly along the vast expanse of sand and boulders hoping to find something valuable, nearly two months after the typhoon Reming hit Albay province.

Bobet is one of the 2,284 residents of Busay, a baranggay (village) north of Daraga, who were temporarily relocated after the typhoon Reming hit the Bicol region last November 30. The typhoon, considered as one of the worst in the history of Bicol, left a carnage of death and destruction.

Amado Lorejo, baranggay captain of Busay, said, “This is one of the most affected places in Albay.”

The typhoon buried around 45 percent of the entire baranggay under tons of sand and boulders. Four hundred forty-two families who used to live in the 216,139-hectare baranggay are now sheltered at an evacuation center in Busay Elementary School.

“It’s difficult to live in an evacuation center but we have no choice,” Maritess Mirafuentes, one of the evacuees, said.

The residents were advised to stay at the evacuation centers since some areas were totally buried under tons of sand from Mayon Volcano. Some of the areas were even declared as danger zones, according to local residents here.

At least 49 were killed during the typhoon last November 30 in Busay alone. As of this writing, there are still 149 missing residents and properties of undetermined value buried underneath the sand.

Lorejo said that the rehabilitation of Busay will start in February this year.

Meanwhile, in Baranggay Padang, a village located north of Legazpi City, the rehabilitation will start by the second quarter of this year.

Mercedes Mediona, baranggay captain of Padang, said, “We will start with the rehabilitation as soon as we are done with the budgeting.”

In Padang, around 50 percent of the baranggay’s 511.7 hectares were affected by the mudflow. Residents were already transferred to the relocation sites in baranggays Banquerohan and Taysan.

The previous census of the Baranggay Padang showed a population of 564 but the survivors only totaled 481 as of January 17. The difference of 83 people comprises the dead and the missing. Rescuers already stopped search and rescue operations, believing that there are no more survivors to be found.

Padang is now considered a ghost town by some local residents who reside in nearby baranggays like Bigaa. “Very few are staying here because they were already relocated,” Grace Balaguer, baranggay secretary, said.

Power and water supply remain a problem at Padang. Evacuees also complain of the insufficiency of relief goods. Some evacuees are reportedly afflicted with various diseases. “We are crowded, that’s why sickness easily spread,” Miriam Manorina, an evacuee from Busay, said.

Manorina said that they stay inside a classroom along with 17 other families. Some evacuees who stay in makeshift tents share the shelter with at least two other families.

Hilda Sultan, 87, an evacuee from Busay, said that relief goods are only given twice a week. “Sometimes, we are left with nothing to eat.”

However, all the baranggay captains from the affected areas said that there are enough relief goods being distributed to evacuees. Nevertheless, they admitted that they do not know up to when the government will help the residents.

The Philippine Army (PA) is working along with other government agencies in handling the situation on the affected areas. Freddie Hernandez of the 9^th Infantry Division of Philippine Army said, “We are working here to secure the safety and the properties of the people.” The PA started working for the affected areas last December 2 and would remain on duty until further orders are given, Hernandez said.

Back to School

After a month-long suspension of classes in the entire province of Albay, the students are now back to school. Damages to schools were the main reason for the suspension of classes.

In Padang, classes are being conducted at the relocation site in Barangay Taysan, west of Legazpi City. The principal no longer allows the teachers to conduct classes in Padang since the school was affected by the typhoon.

The Padang Elementary School has 12 classrooms which were all badly damaged by the typhoon. Busay Elementary School was only party damaged and currently serves as evacuation area for the residents there.

During daytime, classes are held inside the classrooms while the evacuees stay in the backyard of the school. They were only allowed to use the classrooms after class hours. “We stay here at the back of the classrooms. It’s difficult especially that it is always raining,” Sultan said.

Business Losses and Gains

Because of the typhoon, many businesses incurred losses after having their business establishments buried under the sand or swept away by the flash flood.

The affected baranggays cannot provide an estimated amount of the properties and assets lost during the typhoon.

In Barangay Padang, the Tuanson Concrete Aggregate Corporation, a rock processing company, was buried under several meters of sand. It is believed that the company incurred substantial losses since all its heavy equipment and facilities were damaged and buried by the sand and boulders.

Ironically, some businesses profited after the typhoon. Local residents now resort to the collection of gravel from the debris that buried the baranggays. The gravel is then sold to construction firms in the city.

The number of tourists visiting Bicol also increased. Busay, home to the famous Cagsawa Ruins, tourists have arrived in droves, apparently curious as to the effects of the mudflow on the said tourist spot. “The income is fine. Because of the tourists, I am earning more, but not that much,” Ana Mandane, a food vendor, said.

Letty Arienda, 38, owner of the Binos Funeral Services, had an increase in the number of customers after the typhoon. She said that her clients increased to 200 percent.

Even then, she is still unhappy only one out of her more than 30 missing relatives has been found and given a proper burial. “Sometimes at night, I would hear them calling me and asking for help,” Arienda said, adding that that there is nothing that she can do for the missing relatives but to pray for them. “The rescue operation already stopped and I have no resources to find my relatives.”

Ghost Stories

Because of the hundreds of people who were buried and whose bodies have not yet been recovered, various ghost stories have been heard by the residents.

“Yes, there are ghosts. I hear them at night,” Arienda, a resident of Bigaa, said.

For her part, Mirafuentes of Busay, whose mother Lourdes, 59, died during the typhoon, said, “I believe there are ghosts here because many are still missing.”

Fearful of seeing ghosts, jeepney and bus drivers now hesitate to convey passengers from Padang especially at night.

Asked to comment on this issue, a priest from the St. Gregory cathedral in Albay who requested anonymity said, “I cannot confirm that, but we pray for them (souls).”

A dredging project along the channels of Mayon Volcano is now being done to prevent the occurrence of another tragic incident. In March 2005, a similar government-funded dredging project was completed on the same site.

Nearly two months after the typhoon, residents of Albay still recall the tragic incident that ht their town. Whenever it rains, Bobet, like the other people in Albay, always fear that the similar incident might occur again. Bulatlat

BACK TO TOP ■  PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION  ■   COMMENT

© 2007 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Media Center

Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.