After typhoon Yolanda hit our country, I begin to wonder on how Filipino would cope to its effect. Thousands has died and a lot are missing until now. I am living in the Island of Boracay and unfortunately I have no idea of what was happening on the mainland and on the other island because I don’t have a television, my only source of information’s are my family in manila and through internet, but during and after the typhoon, there was no internet connection and no celphone signal for either GLOBE or SMART, a network company here in the Philippines, so I have no choice but to wait until everything goes back to normal. But then I realized what does normal means now. When I lost my dad, I was totally wrecked and I can’t even go to church because I cannot accept the fact that he was gone, considering the fact that I had a chance to take care of him and talk to him before he died. But those who have been hit by typhoon Yolanda were not even given a chance to say goodbye to their families and most importantly they died in a most heartbreaking way.
There is a song that goes like this, "if someone lost a father, then someone lost a son, and if someone lost a sister, then someone lost a mom." Loosing someone is a domino effect and it is always painful, how much more if you lost not just one but 2 or 3 members of your family. How are you going to accept it? Is crying enough for you to mend your heart? If you get mad, will it change the fact that you lost them? I don’t think so. What will happen to those kids who lost their parents and those parents whose children are still missing? For the record, I did not take any photos during and after the typhoon. I cannot stand the idea that I’m documenting something which would break the heart of those who will be able to see it. But it was definitely one of my most unforgettable experiences during my stay here in the island. I can still remember how I felt during that time. I can still hear the wind and rain until now. The whooshing and gushing of strong wind, trying to break our window are still so vivid in my mind. The falling objects, the flying roof, the havoc of typhoon, all of it bring fear to each and every one of us. I remember the first time we went out when the strong wind and rain has stopped, Boracay Island looks like a ghost town. The used-to be crowded ally of Boracay was so quiet, no tourists, just trash, and broken branches of trees. From then on until now, the electricity has been on and off, and it took a while before the network companies resume the connections for internet and cell phones. But I can see that everybody is moving, Filipinos are smiling, again. Yolanda was not able to destroy our positive spirit.
Until now, the aftermath of the typhoon still lingers and creeps on every Filipino's soul. Everyone's trying their best to help even in their own little way, foreign and local. I remember when I watched the movie 2012, it was shown on that movie that only those elite and super rich people will be saved, and poor will be left behind to die on their own. During Yolanda, there is no rich or poor, everybody was in big trouble. During the typhoon, I was so scared and I never stopped calling Nanay until the signal was cut and the power has been off. Though even without typhoon I always tell her that I love her, during Yolanda's turmoil, I think I told her that I love her so much for almost a hundred times, I thanked her for everything. I apologized for hurting her. I want her to know that if something happen to me here in the island, I love her. I was not trying to scare her, I want to find comfort and talking to her is the best way to have it. She got mad at me, I know she really is not; she just doesn’t want me to get nervous. She told me to stay calm, relax and don’t show my co-worker my anxiety because it might affect them. Every time I’m not in a good shape, or I’m having doubts on my decisions, I always seek comfort from her. And it makes me wonder, what about those kids who lost their mom, nanay, ina…the hardest thing that could ever happen to a person is to lost loved ones, most specially our parents. Whom will they seek love and comfort now? Who will wipe their tears? Who will shush them when they are afraid? Who will hugged them when are cold. Why do you have to do this Yolanda? Why do you have to lambast Filipinos like that? Why us?
Then I saw news on TV about the story of heroism, from local to foreign. Everyone wants to help. The outpouring of supports from different country uplifts the spirit of each and every Filipino. Slowly, and definitely surely, Filipino was able to stand and re-start again. A barbershop opened for the first time in Tacloban, (the city which was totally washed out,) after the typhoon. Of all the establishments, a barbershop is the first to open. And for me, it implies something, a barbershop. When a girl is heartbroken or broke up with someone, they normally go to a salon, to have a little make-over and cut their hair to start anew. The same thing applies to Yolanda after-effect. A barbershop, to help cut the pain and start all over again…And Filipinos are getting there..
Yolanda, you brought trauma, pain, sadness and heartache to each and every Filipino. But I can say that you never succeeded in tearing our nation. You see, we’re doing well now. And we will be better. We’ll crawl until we can walk again, and we’ll run, until we’re strong enough to jump..And we will fly again…And you Yolanda will become part of our history, you will be remember as the strongest typhoon ever hit the earth…But US, Filipinos, we beat you…and that is the most important thing.
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