ACT Alliance

A Filipino woman collects people's thoughts about their feelings at the height of Typhoon Ketsana. Photo: NCCP/ACT

Gatid is a barangay (village) situated near the shores of Laguna de Bay in the Philippines. Although it is near the bay, the main source of livelihood for residents is actually farming. Their rice fields are near the shore of the lake for easier access to water for irrigation.  It is a quiet village and the people live simple lives.

Everyone in the village was caught by surprise by the floods brought by Typhoon Ondoy in September 2009.  While the people acknowledge that the area gets flooded at times, the floods brought by Ondoy were something really extraordinary. Lake water swelled due to heavy precipitation. The water level rose and flooded the area.

People living near the shore had no choice but to leave their homes for higher ground. After the storm passed and the water somehow subsided, people were left without a home. At present, they live in tents. The area their tents are pitched has been named “Tent Village at Puntod Bay”.

In January, 2010, the NCCP went to the Gatid to accomplish two things: to give relief aid to the people and to conduct a debriefing workshop for residents. The latter was to give them a venue to share their thoughts and feelings without being judged or criticized. Through recalling and sharing their experiences, it was hoped the feelings of trauma would somehow be attenuated.

Though the experience happened almost four months ago, people are still emotional. Nanay (mother) Miriam cried as she told her story. In fact, even before she started telling her story, she was already crying. Nanay Miriam said that at first they didn’t want to leave their home because they wanted to ensure their things would be safe.

But finally, she and her husband heeded the Barangay leaders’ appeal to leave their home because she saw the water level was rising, and rising fast. At first it was calf-high, then knee-high.

Wading through water that was already chest-high and trying to keep a steady balance despite the huge waves, she and her husband carried their two children to safety. They sought shelter at a neighbour’s house that was made of bricks and situated at a higher ground.

They stayed on the second storey of the house because the ground level was submerged. Another mother tied all her six children to her for fear that she would lose one. All she thought about was that they had to be together, whatever happened.

Most people expressed that they felt intense fear – fear for their lives. Most of them also agreed, in hindsight, that although it took years and a lot of sweat on their brows to acquire things for their home, life is more important and more precious.

After the storm, they found themselves without homes to return to, fields to till or livestock to tend. The rice fields they till are still submerged in water and perhaps, will forever be. Some were lucky enough to be able to salvage usable materials like wood and galvanized iron sheets and patch them up to create a make-shift house within the “tent village”.

Others have no choice but to live in tents, which they found too hot inside during the day and too cold at bed time. To eke out a living, some sell cooked food like barbecued pork, pork liver, and chicken intestines. To earn a few pesos, others sew pre-cut materials to create wallets or put zippers on bags or pants. It is sad to note that in this subcontracting scheme, they experienced injustice. They are twice victimised.

However, it is heartening to know that a sense of community is still present among the people at Gatid.  Because there are not enough sewing machines for everyone, they use the machines alternately to give everyone a chance to earn a living. This is the face of Gatid.