THERE IS HOPE AMID DISASTER
The vestiges of TS Sendong were not a picture of devastation but a picture of hope. Through the eyes of Magdalena Diagas, 52 years old, of Isla de Oro,losing her 74-year-old mother at the height of the typhoon did not stop her from keeping hope.
Currently staying in Calaanan Tent City with her three siblings and their children, Magdalena said that she has “accepted what happened and is now looking forward to having a house of their own.”
“We are much better here because we have privacy and we can even cook real food, such as vegetables,” Magdalena happily stated. She has gone through psychosocial sessions (PSP) which helped her cope with the grief.
Jerlyn Punay, 42 years old like Magdalena is staying in a tent in Calaanan with her husband and two sons. “We hope we could move to a permanent house soon but right now, we are just thankful that we are all together,” Jerlyn enthused. A peek inside their tent revealed her two boys playing with their new toys.
Their dwelling was neat with a bed, a wall clock, and their meager possessions.
Marlyn is another Calaanan Tent City resident who has learned how to cope with her situation by trying to earn a modest living selling buko juice. “Life has to go on, we must have hope, move on, and not be stuck in this unpleasant situation,” Marlyn says with conviction.
Most of the evacuees at Calaanan came from Isla de Oro, one of the seven areas declared as “no-build zones.’





























