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.

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      

© 2006 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Media Center

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