Last weekend I went to Tacloban for a very special mission: I got the chance to help survivors of Haiyan like myself. As most of you know, my family and I have moved to Cebu for the meantime, just until classes start at Tacloban this January.
Thanks to social media, I got in contact with foreigners who had the kind heart to help the survivors, even when they did not know them. After days of canvasing and tying the knots, we finally got to go to Tacloban, almost a month after we left for Cebu. My parents, together with my brother and I traveled five hours by boat and two hours by car. It was completely devastating to see the sight, the fallen trees, roofless houses and the lot. I don’t want to divulge into any other details, because I will be posting some pictures below.
Anyway, it was simply heartbreaking when we reached the town that we were meant to be helping. Their houses were half or all gone, the mountain bare of leaves and destruction was everywhere. And yet, these girls found a reason to smile when I faced them the camera.
Now let us meet Mr. Arturo. He is a father of eight, and a grandfather of many. This is his house after the storm. It has no roof, no windows, and has collapsed.
