From a Valley of Tears to a Valley of Hope: The Compostela Valley (ComVal) Experience by Alvi Viadoy
A first hand experience from a Focolarino who visited the typhoon-ravaged Compostela Valley
December 8, 2012---About an hour away from the province of Compostela Valley, entering the town of Carmen, Davao del Norte, about 50 km. from Monkayo, we were already greeted by the aftermath of Typhoon “Pablo.” The river crossing the Pan-Philippine Highway overflowed due to the torrential rains that Typhoon Pablo poured over the mountainous towns of Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley forcing families to leave their houses while leaving crops and plantations under water. But this was nothing compared to what was waiting for us.
As we moved northward, one would see nothing unusual except for some trees with torn branches or otherwise battered leaves. Already dried after five days, they were falling in showers in the gentle breeze like those which we see in autumn. All seems naturally still.
We arrived at Nabunturan town, the town of a Y4UW and our friend named Yoyong. There were signs of houses and trees having been whipped by strong, tempestuous winds but still acceptable compared to what I’ve seen in my childhood. However, I noticed something unusual — all the people passing by, including those in the trucks and cabs had their noses covered. It was coming from the funeral parlour about a hundred metres away where bodies recovered in New Bataan are brought by rescuers, said a lady friend of ours, whose house lost 20 galvanized iron sheets which were blown away at the height of Pablo’s fury.Working for the government, we were lucky that she had time for us despite great demands for her. In fact, her town, its several public schools, have provided shelter for hundreds of families from New Bataan who barely escaped the mudflow and the raging winds. Together with a few friends of hers who are all educators, we learned immediately about their concerns. Many of their students told them that, most likely, they will have to stop schooling as everything they have, was washed away by the typhoon. Yes, everything, including their crops, carabaos (water buffaloes), livestock and their homes with all their belongings.
Even if they will be able to rebuild their homes, since their plantation was flattened to the ground, if not washed away by the rushing waters, it would take months or years in the case of bananas before they can have their first harvest—that is if at all they can start cultivating the fields, since in some cases, even the savings they kept were lost in the floods. Therefore, they will have to snatch from their food budget what they have, to spend for their livelihood.
In Monkayo town about 30 km. from Nabunturan, the situation is not any better. As we near the town, there was the huge Agusan River on our right with a long stretch of soil deposit covering what used to be a vast corn plantation, according to a friend from the place. In the horizon, one can see Mt. Diwata with white streaks on its slopes similar to the white trails left by jet planes. According to her, those white streaks are the landslides due to illegal gold mining operations in the mountain.
Many of the workers in those illegal mines, she said, had to flee once they realized they were not safe in that place. They were the ones to whom we were supposed to deliver the goods we have received. They were people “who are not in the census” in the sense that they are migrants from other provinces who came as workers for the gold mines but were not registered as residents of Monkayo. For this reason, the barangay does not recognize them and consequently they were not given relief provided by the local government.
Being “strangers” in the place, they felt very shy. When the school personnel called their names, they were hesitant to come forward aware that they were not in the barangay list. They have no right to receive the provisions since they are not from the place, so they thought. As a matter of fact, when the first batch of relief goods was distributed, they were not among those who received them.
A classroom is a temporary home for some thirty of them, families and children together. It is in a painted concrete building which apparently is not so old compared to other structures around the school complex which either had their roofs sheared to pieces or ripped open by the gusty winds. The classrooms which remained intact became the evacuation centre for these “unwelcome guests” and local residents whose houses joined the sorry fate of many others. This is where they sleep now. Lucky if one has a banig or mat of woven palm leaves, otherwise, one has to spend the night on the cold concrete. And since there is no supply of electricity because of toppled power lines, one of them took out the light bulb of a flash light, attached it to two copper wires connected to three batteries, to help them see at night.
With the food that we gave, at least, they will have meals for a couple of days. Then, what will happen? Providentially, there is an abundance of people with a good heart. Just before we left, another group was unloading sacks of rice and other foodstuffs for these people in Monkayo.
Definitely, this setting cannot go on forever. What we have done is to alleviate, if only for a while, the pain and suffering which our brothers and sisters had to endure due to this typhoon. In the meantime, we think of what we can do in the present moment, aware that there is a Father in heaven who takes care of their needs just as He takes care of ours. Thanks to the many generous people who made it possible for this ray of hope to shine on these people in their time of need.
Alvi Viadoy
http://www.newcityph.com/
A first hand experience from a Focolarino who visited the typhoon-ravaged Compostela Valley
December 8, 2012---About an hour away from the province of Compostela Valley, entering the town of Carmen, Davao del Norte, about 50 km. from Monkayo, we were already greeted by the aftermath of Typhoon “Pablo.” The river crossing the Pan-Philippine Highway overflowed due to the torrential rains that Typhoon Pablo poured over the mountainous towns of Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley forcing families to leave their houses while leaving crops and plantations under water. But this was nothing compared to what was waiting for us.
As we moved northward, one would see nothing unusual except for some trees with torn branches or otherwise battered leaves. Already dried after five days, they were falling in showers in the gentle breeze like those which we see in autumn. All seems naturally still.
We arrived at Nabunturan town, the town of a Y4UW and our friend named Yoyong. There were signs of houses and trees having been whipped by strong, tempestuous winds but still acceptable compared to what I’ve seen in my childhood. However, I noticed something unusual — all the people passing by, including those in the trucks and cabs had their noses covered. It was coming from the funeral parlour about a hundred metres away where bodies recovered in New Bataan are brought by rescuers, said a lady friend of ours, whose house lost 20 galvanized iron sheets which were blown away at the height of Pablo’s fury.Working for the government, we were lucky that she had time for us despite great demands for her. In fact, her town, its several public schools, have provided shelter for hundreds of families from New Bataan who barely escaped the mudflow and the raging winds. Together with a few friends of hers who are all educators, we learned immediately about their concerns. Many of their students told them that, most likely, they will have to stop schooling as everything they have, was washed away by the typhoon. Yes, everything, including their crops, carabaos (water buffaloes), livestock and their homes with all their belongings.
Even if they will be able to rebuild their homes, since their plantation was flattened to the ground, if not washed away by the rushing waters, it would take months or years in the case of bananas before they can have their first harvest—that is if at all they can start cultivating the fields, since in some cases, even the savings they kept were lost in the floods. Therefore, they will have to snatch from their food budget what they have, to spend for their livelihood.
In Monkayo town about 30 km. from Nabunturan, the situation is not any better. As we near the town, there was the huge Agusan River on our right with a long stretch of soil deposit covering what used to be a vast corn plantation, according to a friend from the place. In the horizon, one can see Mt. Diwata with white streaks on its slopes similar to the white trails left by jet planes. According to her, those white streaks are the landslides due to illegal gold mining operations in the mountain.
Many of the workers in those illegal mines, she said, had to flee once they realized they were not safe in that place. They were the ones to whom we were supposed to deliver the goods we have received. They were people “who are not in the census” in the sense that they are migrants from other provinces who came as workers for the gold mines but were not registered as residents of Monkayo. For this reason, the barangay does not recognize them and consequently they were not given relief provided by the local government.
Being “strangers” in the place, they felt very shy. When the school personnel called their names, they were hesitant to come forward aware that they were not in the barangay list. They have no right to receive the provisions since they are not from the place, so they thought. As a matter of fact, when the first batch of relief goods was distributed, they were not among those who received them.
A classroom is a temporary home for some thirty of them, families and children together. It is in a painted concrete building which apparently is not so old compared to other structures around the school complex which either had their roofs sheared to pieces or ripped open by the gusty winds. The classrooms which remained intact became the evacuation centre for these “unwelcome guests” and local residents whose houses joined the sorry fate of many others. This is where they sleep now. Lucky if one has a banig or mat of woven palm leaves, otherwise, one has to spend the night on the cold concrete. And since there is no supply of electricity because of toppled power lines, one of them took out the light bulb of a flash light, attached it to two copper wires connected to three batteries, to help them see at night.
With the food that we gave, at least, they will have meals for a couple of days. Then, what will happen? Providentially, there is an abundance of people with a good heart. Just before we left, another group was unloading sacks of rice and other foodstuffs for these people in Monkayo.
Definitely, this setting cannot go on forever. What we have done is to alleviate, if only for a while, the pain and suffering which our brothers and sisters had to endure due to this typhoon. In the meantime, we think of what we can do in the present moment, aware that there is a Father in heaven who takes care of their needs just as He takes care of ours. Thanks to the many generous people who made it possible for this ray of hope to shine on these people in their time of need.
Alvi Viadoy
http://www.newcityph.com/
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