Milenyo’s Devastation of Isla Puting Bato
Isla Puting Bato,
located in the breakwater of the North Harbour and the adjacent land of
the Philippine Ports Authority, cradles hundreds of families who are
becoming more determined to win against the cruel tides that embattle
their lives. After a huge fire that devastated the community three months
ago, leaving 500 families homeless, the typhoon Milenyo ravaged their
island, sinking them deeper in the quagmire of poverty they call home.
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY REYNA MAE TABBADA
Bulatlat
Isla Puting Bato,
located in the breakwater of the North Harbour and the adjacent land of
the Philippine Ports Authority, cradles hundreds of families who are
becoming more determined to win against the cruel tides that embattle
their lives. After a huge fire that devastated the community three months
ago, leaving 500 families homeless, the typhoon Milenyo ravaged their
island, sinking them deeper in the quagmire of poverty they call home.
A few days after
Milenyo’s winds and rain died down, life appears to be getting back to
normal for the residents of Isla. The narrow streets are bustling with
children playing, men and women carrying their goods to sell in nearby
Divisoria, and the traffic of machine-run pedicabs. But a quick look
around the area shows the marks left by past tragedies: plastics serving
as walls of houses, cardboards as substitutes of yero for their
roofs, and the lone-standing wood stilts which showed where their houses
used to be.
Blown Away
Christian, who has
been living in Isla for a decade now, says this latest misfortune to hit
the community was the most devastating. “Ito na ang pinakagrabeng
sakuna.” (This is the worst disaster), he stressed during an interview
with Bulatlat.
Though his house
sustained considerable damage because of the typhoon, Christian felt lucky
to still have a decent roof over his head. Some families saw their walls
and roofs blown away. “Nagliliparan ang mga bubong ditto,” (Roofs
were blown away.) shares one resident when asked to describe what the
place looked like during the height of the typhoon.
“Nakikitira na nga
lang po kami sa kapit-bahay. Baka nga po paalisin na kami,” (We live
with one of my neighbors. They might ask us to leave soon.) Aling Chrysty
laments. She and her six children share a cramped space with another
family, since they do not have supplies like woods and nails to repair
their house.
But Christian’s
worries are not over. The winds of Milenyo cost him his job as his I.D. to
work in a warehouse supermarket was lost when a part of his house
collapsed.
The place reveals the
prevailing poverty and destruction and the struggle of the people to
survive. There were families repairing their houses near the sea and a
group of people huddled in a small dark spot near the road. They all had
the same sad stories to tell, much like that of Christian’s and Aling
Chrysty’s.
Temporary Relief
On the aftermath of
the Milenyo tragedy, the residents of Isla Puting Bato are in dire need of
the basic necessities for everyday living: food, water, and a decent place
to live in. But outside help, even temporary relief, is scarce.
“May tumulong
naman, isang department ng gobyerno. Yun lang,” (Only one department
from the government came to help us. That’s it.) said a resident who
showed Bulatlat his house with plastics and sacks as walls. His
neighbors echoed the need for materials to rebuild their houses. “Kahit
po second-hand na mga kahoy, lubos po naming tatanggapin nang buong puso,”
(We would accept anything even used wood.) added one of them.
For the people of
Islang Putting Bato, any form of assistance is most welcome as they try to
rebuild their houses and their lives to be able to continue once again
with the daily struggle for survival. Bulatlat
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