SPECIAL REPORT: #YolandaPH: Looking back

CEBU, Philippines - It was by far the hardest test of Filipino resilience and disaster preparedness, or the absence of both.

November 8, 2013 unexpectedly earned a page in global history as the day when a calamity in the form of a very strong super typhoon named Yolanda (international name Haiyan) claimed thousands of lives and destroyed billions of properties and livelihood.

The Visayas region, being the usual typhoon path, did not imagine that the loss of lives and property will be the result of what was thought of as just another strong weather disturbance seen to pass through.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council  recorded at least 6,201 fatalities, 27,665 injured, and 1,061 missing, mostly coming from the Visayas.

Authorities estimated that around 1.4 million people had been within the 50 kilometer radius of the typhoon when it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

The areas severely affected by super typhoon Yolanda belong to Region 8 or Eastern Visayas, composed of the provinces of Leyte and Samar with a combined population of 2.3 million.

Also affected were the provinces of Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Palawan. These areas were placed under state of calamity following a declaration by President Benigno Aquino III through Presidential Proclamation No. 682 three days after the typhoon struck.

Of the 81 provinces in the country, 44, or a little over one half, were affected by super typhoon Yolanda and were said to have had minor of major damage. The United Nations has estimated that a total of 11 million people were affected by the super typhoon.

Preparing for the Strongest Typhoon Ever

The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre placed super typhoon Yolanda as the strongest typhoon ever recorded at category 5 on November 5, three days before it devastated the Philippines.

The major weather disturbance carried maximum winds of 270 kilometers per hour and a gustiness of 312 kilometers per hour.

As soon as international and local weather forecasting institutions identified the gravity of the super typhoon and its potential devastation, the national and local disaster preparedness and mitigation authorities convened, providing updates and important reminders to the areas that were projected to be affected.

The NDRRMC sought the help of the national media in disseminating information about the super typhoon as well as the proper steps to undertake to minimize the ill effects of the natural disaster foreseen to be very destructive.

In Cebu, the provincial disaster risk reduction management office intensified its coordination with local government units especially in northern Cebu. The Capitol became the command center for coordination meetings and updates.

Despite not being at the direct trail of the typhoon, Cebu City likewise activated its disaster management council. The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council made the Cebu City Hall its command center, conducting periodic meetings with concerned offices and institutions.

Devastation

Yolanda first made landfall at Guiuan, Eastern Samar and made five other landfalls along Central Philippines before exiting at the West Philippine Sea.

Storm surges were also generated reaching as high as seven meters.

State weather bureau PAGASA hoisted public storm warning signal up to number four, an unusual level, which meant anticipation of a severely destructive typhoon.

In Cebu, it was the northern part of the province that experienced the worst of Yolanda’s wrath.

A total of 14 local government units were devastated by the super typhoon.

The NDRRMC reported 71 deaths in Cebu province: 16 in Bantayan town, 15 in San Remigio, 13 in Bogo City, seven in Daanbatayan, three in San Francisco in Camotes, three in the Municipality of Sta. Fe in Bantayan Island, three in Madridejos town, also in Bantayan island, three deaths in Medellin town, two deaths in Sogod town, two in the town of Pilar in Camotes, one death in Balamban town and one death Lapu-Lapu City.

One death was reported in Guindulman in Bohol, a vessel crew who died at the height of the typhoon.

While there were reports of property damage, no lives were lost in Cebu City.

For days, Eastern Visayas was isolated from the rest of the country. Roads were destroyed and impassable and communication lines were downed.

Search, rescue, retrieval and relief efforts were, however, done in the different areas ravaged by Yolanda albeit the challenges.

Three days after, the entire archipelago and the rest of the world learned about the unimaginable destruction that Yolanda brought, inevitably bringing some people to tears.

After wrecking havoc in the Philippines, Haiyan also devastated Micronesia, the place where it developed into a strong typhoon before reaching the Philippines, and likewise in Southern China and Vietnam.

Days after the typhoon hit, the international community rushed to help the country, offering aid in the form of relief goods, as well as technical expertise in search and rescue, retrieval of bodies and even in rebuilding.

The government created the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FAITH) to assist at least 64 countries and seven multilateral organizations that signified interest to help the country in several aspects and concentrations.

Despite the supposed transparency, however, controversies continue to hound the road to recovery, especially with issues on spoiled relief goods, overpriced bunkhouses, and what critics call “snail-paced rehabilitation efforts.”

Both the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Public Works and Highways have defended their respective offices.

To facilitate the road to recovery, the president created the Office of Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR) led by former senator Panfilo Lacson.

OPARR was formed December 10, 2013.

Climate Change

Coincidentally, the United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda.

Lead negotiator of the Philippines Yeb Saño did a hunger strike to mourn the loss of thousands of lives claimed by the super typhoon, which was believed to have been one of the effects of climate change.

Sympathizers, namely American Collin Reese and 60 members of the Climate Action Network later joined Saño who received a standing ovation when he spoke before the conference about how the disaster-prone country that he comes from suffered from the most destructive typhoon ever recorded.

Up until now, a week before the first anniversary of Yolanda’s devastation, the damage it has caused is still very much visible. Yes, people have started to rebuild their houses and their lives. Power and communication have been restored, stores have opened, classes have resumed. But the havoc that Yolanda caused in the Visayas will forever be remembered. — /QSB (FREEMAN)