Been A Year…

November 8, 2013

Typhoon Haiyan hit Tacloban City, Leyte where I was born. I am thankful that my family is living in Calbiga, Samar – a town 45 mins away from Tacloban City and devastated at the same time when I still remember lives lost when that tragedy struck.

I still remember that distressed, panicky feeling that nobody can be reached through mobile phones for days. That desperate need to be with the people you love and see for yourself that they are okay…or not.

I still remember that throat-tightening feeling when I had my first glimpse of the city from the aircraft’s window…

I know it must have been worse when you were actually there while it was happening…

I remember the smell, the moment I stepped out of the airplane’s doorway…strong winds from the engine’s turbines couldn’t even mask it off…that horrible, sinking feeling that you were smelling dead bodies…

Basey, Samar, my sister-in-law’s hometown was no different from Tacloban.
We visited there after we bought supplies.

After a year, Tacloban and Basey is recovering…structures have been repaired if not replaced. You can see more and more people smiling as you pass by. They may not forget the tragedy that struck them, but they can show everyone that life goes on and what resilience means.