LANDBANKERS’ EXPERIENCES OF YOLANDA

LANDBANKERS’ EXPERIENCES OF YOLANDA

One teller recounted the ordeal she went through with her family when her house was flooded. She and her husband tied ropes to their waists attached to each other and also to their kids. She said no matter what happens they are together. Good enough they were able to make it but their ordeal was to survive with only a pack of biscuit and small bottled water.

Our AOC Head in Tacloban had the most traumatic encounter with Yolanda. Before the typhoon, they were all inside the house together with his ailing parents and other relatives. When the flood came in slowly, they were able to go to the roof but when the flood reached so high engulfing the whole house they were washed by the current of the water. The water reached 20 feet high. He lost gripped of his father due the strong and revolving current. He said he was in the water for more than 2 hours battling for his life. He tried so hard to keep himself conscious in the swirling water despite the pain he felt when a tree hit his head. Immediately after Yolanda, his house was totally damaged and his father is missing until now while the dead body of his mother was found trapped in the debris of their house when the flood subsided.

Most families buried their dead relatives in their backyards. Until now still more bodies are being recovered while the clearing of the place is ongoing. It took so much time just to clear the areas and definitely much more years to rebuild Leyte.