Without cameras
What happens long after a calamity? In the Philippines where typhoons (20 more or less annually) and, of late, earthquakes are expected year in and year out, we immediately bury our dead, account for those saved and begin rebuilding our lives. We do not wallow in despair and sadness; rather, we accept our fate and move on. So much so that Filipinos are described as a people who are as resilient as a bamboo. And we truly are.
But then there are instances when nature’s fury leaves a more lasting memory, when the death toll is in the thousands, when the cost of the damage is staggering and the emotional wound leaves a lasting scar in the public consciousness. Among these are: the Moro Gulf earthquake in 1976 where over 8,000 people were officially counted as killed or missing, 10,000 injured, and 90,000 homeless; typhoon Uring in 1991, which claimed 5,081 lives with 1,941–3,084 missing and presumed dead (4,922 of them were victims of the Ormoc flash flood); and typhoon Yolanda in 2013 where 10,000 were reported killed in Tacloban City, Leyte alone, with an estimated 22,000 people missing and about 11 million people affected, with a considerable number left homeless.
In most instances, commemorations are held to remember those who died and to console the survivors. Occasions such as these allow us to recall the gallantry and selflessness of rescue workers and volunteers. It is also a time to ask, “How are the survivors coping up with their lives today?” While asking the question is apt, do we still find time to revisit them in their homes when media has more current issues and recent calamities to cover?
It is during these times when the camera lights are off when the victims feel the loneliness as well as the need for necessities. The close family ties of Filipinos come into play in these moments. But the communal rehabilitation requires action primarily from the government. That to this day some of the rehabilitation work have not yet been completed five years since typhoon Yolanda struck is something that begs for answers.
For years, Filipinos in New Zealand have done their part in helping out in times of calamities in the Philippines. We are fortunate when there are kababayans who volunteer to deliver our donations. For instance, on Nov. 7, New Zealand resident Anne Lucille, a native of Minglanilla and who visited her family, used our monetary donation to treat children affected by the Naga landslide for Jollibee foodstuffs. It was heart warming to see their smiling faces as volunteers and Jollibee staff distributed the simple treat.
These children and their families still face greater challenges – and hopefully the government and private institutions will deliver the promises made, even without the presence of photographers and news reporters.