While I find writing to be cathartic, it is not easy to write just about anything. This is especially so after the recent events that plunged entire regions of the Philippines in crisis after a very destructive typhoon (Haiyan/ Yolanda) plowed through the Visayan islands a week ago. I have made it a habit to write about various themes in this blog including some routine musings about travel, food and various experiences. Once in a while I do write about sentimental matters like how it was back in the day when we were young and life seemed so much simpler (and kinder).
This time it's not really a case of writer's block for me but more of a restraint that I'm exercising in light of the recent disasters that hit many parts of the country. While I can only imagine the experiences of those who were along the path of Typhoon Haiyan based on various reports, I am no stranger to calamities being among the victims of Typhoon Ketsana in 2009 and by the monsoon floods of 2012 and 2013. Previous to that were similar floods in the 1980s that our family had to endure and cope with. Yet, the circumstances of Ketsana and its aftermath were very different from Haiyan's in that the latter's destruction was more comprehensive or, for lack of a better word, more complete. So much so that we now see a massive exodus of people from Leyte, particularly from Eastern Visayas' regional center - Tacloban City. The daily out flux of people already indicate that thousands are fleeing to cities where they seek refuge and perhaps opportunities for livelihood. Many have relatives elsewhere like Metro Manila or Cebu, but many do not have anyone or anything for them where they flee to and so they will just risk it (makikipagsapalaran) rather than stay in Tacloban or other towns in the ravaged provinces where they perceive aid is slow to reach them and recovery will take a long time.
Hopefully, there will be more happy endings to these real-life stories than the sad conclusions that seem to be a certainty for many. A lot of people have lost loved ones (and in some cases entire families perished), which are definitely more important than the material or money they have also lost in what seemed to be hell on earth during those hours or even minutes that they will not forget for the rest of their lives. Even those with the strongest of wills are now or in the next days, weeks, months or year going to be tested as they inevitably replay the painful memories of Haiyan's onslaught. We can only pray that the survivors will not lose hope nor faith as they recover and rebuild their lives.
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This time it's not really a case of writer's block for me but more of a restraint that I'm exercising in light of the recent disasters that hit many parts of the country. While I can only imagine the experiences of those who were along the path of Typhoon Haiyan based on various reports, I am no stranger to calamities being among the victims of Typhoon Ketsana in 2009 and by the monsoon floods of 2012 and 2013. Previous to that were similar floods in the 1980s that our family had to endure and cope with. Yet, the circumstances of Ketsana and its aftermath were very different from Haiyan's in that the latter's destruction was more comprehensive or, for lack of a better word, more complete. So much so that we now see a massive exodus of people from Leyte, particularly from Eastern Visayas' regional center - Tacloban City. The daily out flux of people already indicate that thousands are fleeing to cities where they seek refuge and perhaps opportunities for livelihood. Many have relatives elsewhere like Metro Manila or Cebu, but many do not have anyone or anything for them where they flee to and so they will just risk it (makikipagsapalaran) rather than stay in Tacloban or other towns in the ravaged provinces where they perceive aid is slow to reach them and recovery will take a long time.
Hopefully, there will be more happy endings to these real-life stories than the sad conclusions that seem to be a certainty for many. A lot of people have lost loved ones (and in some cases entire families perished), which are definitely more important than the material or money they have also lost in what seemed to be hell on earth during those hours or even minutes that they will not forget for the rest of their lives. Even those with the strongest of wills are now or in the next days, weeks, months or year going to be tested as they inevitably replay the painful memories of Haiyan's onslaught. We can only pray that the survivors will not lose hope nor faith as they recover and rebuild their lives.
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