At the visit last November 8 of President Marcos to Tacloban City — which bore the brunt of super typhoon Yolanda in 2013 — the President said "we must remember those uncounted dead that up to now we do not know how many that number is. We must commemorate so that we will remember those who we're told not to remember."
On November 8, 2013, Yolanda (international name Haiyan) made landfall with record winds and sea surges causing damage and casualties in nine regions of the country affecting almost 15 million people and displacing 4 million. In Eastern Visayas alone, Yolanda left over 7,000 dead and a staggering P48.79 billion damage to properties and farms.
Marcos' cousin and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez recalled how the Filipinos learned from the tragedy.
“While it is very difficult to forget the horrors we faced during Yolanda, the important thing is we learned from this harrowing experience. And if we learned from this tragedy, we continue to honor those who perished and those who willingly sacrificed their lives for the benefit of others,” Romualdez said.
Hard Lessons
Ian Saballa, President of Philippine Junior Jaycees Tanauan Molave, recalled the traumatizing experience of Tanauananons and affirmed the two officials' statements that the experience, though a bitter pill to swallow, had become a wake-up call to the public.
“Based on my observation, after the typhoon, yung response ng mga tao ngayon to typhoon warning they are already aware kung ano ang gagawin. Yung mga tao mas alert na ngayon,” Saballa said.
He said that the carefree Waray dark humor had also changed and people are now starting to take natural calamities and government warnings seriously after experiencing one of the strongest typhoons in the history of the country.
Local government units (LGUs) and national leaders both in Eastern Visayas and in other parts of the Philippines had also become more vigilant, strategic in terms of handling natural calamities and even provided a speedy response to aid the victims.
Environmental awareness and campaigns have become more intense as both the public and LGUs are now realizing the importance of the environment as it directly affects not just a few individuals but an entire community.
Bayanihan Spirit
The spirit of “Bayanihan” was also strengthened in the hearts of the people of Eastern Visayas as more youth groups, donation drives and non-government organizations continue to pop up in the region to help other victims in any part of the country.
“Leytenos know what it feels like na mawalan ng mga mahal sa buhay and mga ari-arian na ilang taon pinagpaguran para maipundar and in just a snap hindi mo alam kung kanino ka lalapit kasi wala ng mahirap o mayaman dahil lahat pantay pantay pagkatapos ng sakuna,” says survivor Irah.
“This is like our way of paying it forward dun sa mga tumulong samin and this is also a way of telling other survivors na we understand them and we are a living proof that it is not the end. Siring pa bagyo ka la, Waray kami. We may be roofless, homeless but not hopeless,” she added.