Yolanda on her Dreadful Namesake

Bago pa man dumating ang dagok na dala ng bagyong Yolanda, 37 taon na akong nakilala sa pangalan na Yolanda Sembrero. Isa po akong survivor ng bagyong Yolanda na tumama sa Tacloban, Leyte noong Nobyembre 13, 2013 at ngayon ay nabigyan ng pagkakataong magkaroon ng permanenteng tirahan sa Pope Francis Village. Nitong Hulyo 15, 2016,  isa po ako sa napiling magrepresenta ng aming komunidad sa isang forum patungkol sa estado ng Yolanda Recovery and Rehabilitation na inorganisa ng Development and Peace at NASSA-Caritas Philippines.

 (Before the devastating Yolanda came, I was already known as Yolanda Sembrero for 37 years. I am a survivor of typhoon Yolanda that hit Tacloban, Leyte in November 13, 2013 and now given a chance to have a permanent shelter at Pope Francis Village. Last July 15, 2016, I was chosen to represent our community in a forum about the State of Yolanda Recovery and Rehabilitation organized by Development and Peace and NASSA-Caritas Philippines.) 

Mayroong halong kaba at takot akong naramdaman noong araw na paalis ako ng Tacloban sa dahilan na ito ang unang beses na ako'y makasakay ng eroplano. Isang nakakapanlumong tagpo sa Tacloban airport ang aking naranasan noong kami ay pumipila para makapag-check-in. Ang sabi ng airline personnel sabay na iniaabot ang boarding pass ko, "Ma'am hindi ko na po banggitin ang pangalan nyo ha? Natrauma na po kasi kami eh".

(It was a mixed feeling of anxiousness and fear when I left Tacloban since it was my first time to travel by plane. When I was in Tacloban airport, I experienced a disheartening encounter while we were lining-up to check-in. As the airline personnel handed-over my boarding pass, he told me, "Ma'am I will not just mention your name. We were already traumatized.)

Lahat ng emosyon ko na yon ay napalitan ng saya ng makarating na ako ng Maynila na ligtas. Pagkatapos ng maraming taon, muli kong nakita ang mga naglalakihan at nagtataasang gusali habang kami ay nagbabyahe papunta sa aming tutuluyang hotel sa Quezon City. Di po ako makapaniwala na totoo itong narating ko.

All those emotions were suddenly changed with happiness when we arrived safe in Manila. After so many years, I have seen again the huge and tall buildings while heading to our hotel in Quezon City. I can't believe that I have reached this far.)

Kinabukasan, Hulyo 15, dumalo kami ng forum sa Richmonde Hotel sa Ortigas. Doon ko nakita ang ibat-ibang INGOs at mga local CSOs. Sa maraming pag-uusap, nakita ko na malaki ang pagkukulang ng nakaraang administrasyon sa taong bayan lalo na sa mga naapektuhan ng bagyong Yolanda . Pinaabot nila ang ginawa nilang mabuti subalit marami pa talaga ang hindi nagagawa. Kulang din po ang aming kaalaman sa mga impormasyon gaya ng kung saan napunta ang budget para sa amin na survivors ng typhoon Yolanda. Masakit po sa akin na malaman na may mga natitira pang pondo pero hindi nakarating sa mga apektado ng kalamidad kahit na dalawa at kalahating taon na ang nakalipas. Paano kami makakaahon sa hirap kung hindi matugunan ng gobyerno  ang mga pangangailangan na hindi natugunan ng dating administrasyon? 

(The following day, July 15, we attended the forum at Richmonde Hotel in Ortigas. There, I met different international NGOs and local CSOs. In several dialogues, I have seen the backlogs of the previous administration to the people especially those affected by typhoon Yolanda. The government has shared many of their outstanding accomplishments yet there are still  a lot of unfinished work to be done. We also lack  information as to where the budget for typhoon Yolanda survivors was spent. It was painful to know that there are still undisbursed funds that did not reach the affected communities even if it's been two and a half years now. How can we recover from our impoverished state if the government won't address the needs that the previous administration supposed to meet?)

Sa mga naibahagi ng mga dumalong mga lokal na organisasyon at NGOs na ang daing ay hindi naging epektibo ang pamamalakad noong kasagsagan ng relief at recovery, ang tingin ko ay tama etong obserbasyon. Marami ang mga nagsabing may mga tulong na hindi na dumaan sa LGUs. Ang paniniwala ko naman siguro tama lang naman yon kasi kung dumaan man sa gobyerno, lalong hindi giginhawa ang mga tao. Baka ngayon, nasa bunkhouses pa rin kami nakatira. At ngayon na bago na ang ating opisyal ng gobyerno, ang aming hiling ay sana matugunan nila ang mga kakulangan ng dating administrasyon at ipagpatuloy kung ano man ang magandang nasimulan kagaya ng ipinangako sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo na patuloy pa ring umaasa na magkaroon ng desenteng tirahan, hanapbuhay, kuryente, tubig at iba pang pasilidad.  Gusto ko rin iparating sa gobyerno na sana ang komunidad ay maging kabahagi din sa paggawa ng bahay dahil sa pamamaraang ito ay hindi nila maibale-wala ang kanilang pabahay.

(In the sharing of several local organizations and NGOs who attended the forum, I agree with their shared sentiment about ineffective management of relief and recovery efforts. Many said that there were assistance that were not channeled through the local government units. My take on this is perhaps it was just right. If the assistance went through the government, we may not be able to recover faster. Maybe, we are still living in bunkhouses. Now that we have newly-elected government officials, we are appealing that they will address the lapses of the previous administration and continue the good things that were started like their promises to disaster-stricken communities who until now are still hoping to live in decent shelters, to have access to livelihood, electricity, water and other essential facilities. I also want to bring to government's attention the importance of involving the community in  building their own shelters because it's only through this that they won't take their housing for granted.)