One Month after Odette

January 16, 2022

A month after supertyphoon hit the country, the people from Southern Leyte are still not yet recovering. Majority is slowly building their homes again. Some business establishments are still not operating. Electricity is still out and water is scarce. As a result, some people have bought generator, water containers are placed outside everyone's house so when it rains, there would be water for washing and cleaning purposes.

Help is still overflowing. Well, it depends on which area. Some areas were rained with blessings. Some areas are like desserts too. Just like those who live in the mountanous areas, it would be next to impossible if help will still reach them so they would walk down the town and stand by the road with a large sign of help. Of course, even with the pandemic and the calamity, corrupt officials are still present. Some help won't even reach the needy because they are stuck in the purse of the greedy. Barangays with sincere leaders are lucky. Their leaders would even go out of their way just so they can solicit or gather enough donations from NGO's. There was also a private individual who gave 20,000 every family at a nearby town.
In our barangay, our barangay captain only choose the people who will be the recepient of a financial assistance just because their house was only partially damaged. What? Does that mean the supertyphoon skip and spare these houses?
There are also people who are abusive. Life has been uneasy before and yet they keep complaining about the help they get. I heard of a mother who complained about the skipping rope which is included in the relief package they receive. Furthermore, she said, what is the use of skipping rope. Can we eat them?. They are told before they were given that the skipping rope are for the kids. Just so they can play and have a good time and temporarily forget the trauma caused by the typhoon. But no, this woman is never sympathetic, understanding and thankful at all.

Some work haven't resumed yet. Some only depend on help. Some are barely getting by. Garbages of Odette is still by the sea. Some houses by the street still aren't safe to live. Some huge trees are still not taken care of. But people are still smiling, laughing and joking. People are busy building their own mansions. The houses which are made of light materials are now using colored roof. Every house has their own grocery store. Most of all, church is full because it may have been used as an evacuation center or it may be a place where donations and relief operations starts. Let us see what will happen in the next few days, weeks and months. For the meantime, sit back and relax, work your ass off and survive. Thank the generous and help the needy. That is what we should do so no one will left behind, we can move on, recover and survive.

Thank you for reading! Until then!

Thank you so much @Davinchysax for the sponsorship. It's been a while since someone believed in me. Thank you heaps.