PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) — It has been a decade, but the damage and shock brought by super typhoon Yolanda in Culion town back in 2013 are still vivid in Engr. Christie Fructuso’s memory.
The sixth and last landfall of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit Busuanga Island in Palawan on Friday night, November 8, 2013. Culion is 36 kilometers away from Busuanga and also experienced the same fate, particularly along its coastal areas.
Fructuso, who has been serving as municipal engineer since 2013, recalled mobilizing his team and augmenting the force from the barangay to clear out the passage blocking locals from going to the Poblacion area.
“Sa na-experience ko ay ‘yon ang pinakamalakas at dito pa sa amin dumaan ang sentro, mata ng bagyo. After ng bagyo na ‘yon, mag-inspection sana ako. Hindi pa ako nakakalayo, biglang naramdaman ko malakas na naman in the other direction. Pagsara ng bahay, tumutunog pati bintana, lakas talaga,” he said.
The strong winds almost flattened roofs and blew houses made of light materials along the coastal areas, which served as homes for around 50 families. Yolanda did not spare even the fishing boats of the locals in Culion, which is the main source of their livelihood.
Recovery Journey
The local government unit prioritized clearing the roads blocking the way to the Poblacion area and provided food for the locals. It was a difficult time for the town, yet it remained hopeful with the assistance provided by various organizations in the Philippines and from foreign countries, as well as the provincial and national governments.
As Culion slowly recovered, a housing project was launched to transfer affected families to concrete houses. The project was spearheaded by the National Housing Authority (NHA) and has already transferred 200 families to three sites, Fructuso said.
The project prioritized the families residing along the coastal areas to be transferred to the housing project to avoid sustaining the same damages after Yolanda. It also served as a solution for Culion to lessen waste going to water bodies coming from households that could affect the marine ecosystem, which is the prime tourism product of the town.
“Paunti-unti bumangon kami—Yong national government nag-assist din in coordination with local government. Ang pinakatarget ay sa coastal para hindi na maulit ‘yong nangyari, malayo sila sa panganib,” he said.
Lessons learned
One of the groups that immediately extended assistance to affected areas like Culion was the Philippine Red Cross (PRC). During the 8th year of Yolanda in 2021, the PRC underscored the need for a climate change adaptation plan and contingency plan.
Culion also shares the same view as PRC and realized there are things that needed to be established in the town, such as a proper drainage system, evacuation sites, and housing for coastal dwellers.
“Ginagawa naming dahandahan—staggered ang paglipat nila. Kasama sa paglipat nila ay pag-vacate sa coastal para ma-address din ang sinasabing negative environmental impact,” he said.
Life in Culion did not stop after Yolanda; the tourism sector progressed and still caters to the medical needs of neighboring towns in the Calamian Group of Islands. But the years that followed after Yolanda’s onslaught taught the town what to prioritize to avoid the same fate in the future. (RG/PIA Mimaropa – Palawan)
*Banner photo from www.culionpalawan.gov.ph
