‘Yolanda’: pain and promise

A few years back, I attended a briefing on global warming conducted by the Manila Observatory.  One of the more prominent “take aways” from that session was a warning that, because of rising ocean temperatures and changing tidal patterns, weather disturbances like typhoons would not only visit the Philippines more frequently, but that these would be more intense and as a consequence wreak more damage.

Those words would come to haunt me over the weekend as news of the extent of devastation wrought by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” filtered through. Described as “the worst disaster to hit the Philippines,” Yolanda packed the strongest and fastest winds as well as torrential rains never seen or felt before on the planet. It cut a path of destruction through much of the Visayas, Bicol and even parts of Mindanao, Mindoro and Palawan. As I write this, Yolanda (international name Haiyan) is howling across much of Vietnam, with several coastal cities in its path.

Also memorable from the presentation of the Manila Observatory was a graphic showing just how many typhoons and tropical depressions pass through the Philippines in a year. The familiar outlines of the country were almost obscured by the storm paths crisscrossing our territory, a dramatic reminder of just how vulnerable we are to the vagaries of weather, especially now that the earth’s temperature is on the rise.

Right now, most news outlets have devoted most of their front pages and many broadcast and telecast hours, to “special” coverage of the post-Yolanda damage. Most heartrending of all are scenes of the devastation in Tacloban, the bloated corpses littered among the debris of broken houses and felled trees lending dramatic testimony to the extent of the suffering wrought by this supertyphoon.

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I happened to catch a report by intrepid

GMA-7 reporter Love Añover who ventured to her home province of Leyte to report firsthand on the arrival of Yolanda. Midway through her stand-up, Love’s voice began trembling before her face crumbled in grief and fear. Apparently, she had been reporting from a roadside perch when fierce winds drove them to a nearby church where she and her team sought shelter.

This is natural behavior, since churches are traditionally built on the highest spot in a town, and are believed to be constructed from stronger materials. But seconds after, even the church began to give way to the lashing wind and rain, as they peeled off the church’s roof, drenching the occupants and threatening to blow them away.

It’s a wonder Love was even able to face the camera after going through such trauma. And the fact that the life-threatening experience took place in her own hometown, where many family members live, must have added to the “shock and awe” of the event.

Love’s experience was repeated many times over in Tacloban, where observers report “living zombies” walking about the streets: Yolanda’s survivors who are too stunned and shocked to do anything else other than stagger about the ruins of their homes, churches, schools and public buildings. Those who can still summon the energy, or are driven by raving hunger, have begun breaking into and looting not just restaurants and fast-food chains but also supermarkets, malls and even food processing factories.

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There is a bright side to this tragedy, believe it or not.

From all around the world, friends and relatives, some of whom I have not heard from for years, have sent their queries and messages of commiseration. I am almost embarrassed to reply to them, since all we here in Metro Manila have experienced have been some light rains.

The best news of all is that an aunt of ours,

Francisca Lastrilla Jimenez, who is about 90 years old (if we can get her to admit it) and the widow of our uncle Titong, who lives in Tacloban, is safe and sound and is reported to be staying with a family friend. But her home in the city, from where she hosted a memorable “Flores de Mayo” celebration for the clan some years back, is reportedly filled with mud and uninhabitable. We are pulling all the strings that can be pulled to bring her to Manila, if she wants to make the trip. Many thanks to cousin Kara Magsanoc Alikpala and nephew-in-law Nicco for the update on Tita Ansing.

Here in Metro Manila, Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, expressing solidarity with the entire nation in the wake of the Bohol and

Cebu earthquake, and the victims of Yolanda, detailed in a letter the steps to take in responding to the plight of the victims.

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Aside from preparing a short prayer for the victims to be said at “an appropriate moment at every Mass,” the archdiocese is taking up a special collection for Yolanda’s victims at least for the next two Sundays. And if a parish is already helping a particular town or parish in the affected area, said Cardinal Tagle, he requests that Caritas Manila be informed so the archdiocese could “either add to what you are sending or look for other communities that have not received any help.”

The cardinal asks parish priests to “mobilize the parochial schools and religious communities in their area, as well as to tap parents’ associations. Associations of the lay faithful and ecclesial movements are asked to coordinate with the archdiocese’s efforts.

“If some celebrations are scheduled in our parishes and schools,” appeals the cardinal, “please review them in light of the enormous suffering and needs of the victims and make the necessary adjustments. Through our prayers and effective solidarity, the faith will rise stronger in the midst of ruins!”

I almost want to say: “Promise, ha?” But without faith and hope, all we’ll have left is pain and pessimism.