Sigh of relief as ship docks in Cebu

Another batch of evacuees from Tacloban City arrived in Cebu yesterday on board a Philippine Navy transport ship.

A total of 1,366 people were crammed into the BRP Bacolod City and endured the one day travel out of the typhoon-devastated province.

Among the passengers was 50-year-old Briton Steven Nicholson and vendor Lucena Afable.

Nicholson, who is married to a Filipina from Tacloban City, told Cebu Daily News that he was relieved to set foot in Cebu “after nine days in Tacloban City with not enough sleep and food.”

Nicholson, who has lived in the Philippines for three years, got married more than 18 months ago and decided to make Tacloban City his home.

Despite losing his Internet café business in Tacloban City, he said he still wants to stay in the country.

“I don’t want to go back to the UK. My wife is a Filipina and we will start again a new chapter,” he said.

Nicholson said he tried to save his computer units but the floodwaters swamped his Internet café. He and his family managed to flee to the highlands.

No help

“We sought shelter among those who lived there,” Nicholson’s mother-in-law Virginia Abrio said. After the floods subsided, the family went back to their house and stayed there for almost a week.

They tried but failed to get on board a C-130 flight. When the navy started ferrying evacuees, they immediately signed up and managed to board yesterday’s trip. .

“Humihingi na lang po kami ng pagkain sa iba, wala po kasi kaming tulong natatanggap (We asked for food from the others. We didn’t receive any help),” Abrio said.

Nicholson’s wife Elly, who works in Cebu, waited for her family at the pier of the Naval Forces Central in Lapu-Lapu City.

Unbelievable

Nicholson said he will try to start another business in Cebu.

He said his relatives and friends in the UK already knew that he survived the typhoon.

“It was unbelievable I never expected it was so strong and survived,” he said.

Nicholson said once Tacloban would get back on its feet, he would go back.

For her part, Afable said her house in Baybay, San Jose, Tacloban was washed out by the storm surge.

“We knew that it was a strong typhoon and we decided to evacuate to a school,” she said.

Afable didn’t expect that their evacuation site would be hit by the storm surge. “We went to the second floor because the water level rose,” she said.

Afable’s relative Rashel Gabucan, a former overseas worker whose house was damaged looked for her and decided to stay in Cebu after hearing reports of looting. “The looters aren’t from Tacloban,” she added.

Flight

Gabucan said there was no food at the evacuation center prompting them to leave.

“The food is only at the airport,” she said. The two women rented a van for P1,500 to take them to the port area.

The whole family decided to stay in Manila and took a commercial flight yesterday.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza boarded the vessel to welcome the evacuees.

Food and medical stations as well as ambulances were on standby at the Navforcen port yesterday.

Each evacuee was served water, bread and porridge.

In Cebu City, the city government has designated the gymnasium at barangay San Roque as temporary shelter for Tacloban evacuees.

City Health Officer Stella Ygoña said medical care is available to all evacuees, There are 260 people or 44 families at the Tinago sports complex 78 individuals are housed in the Guadalupe Sports Complex. A total of 89 people are in the Cogon Ramos gym while 65 are in the Capitol Parish gym.

The South Road Properties (SRP) Management Office in coordination with the Philippine Red Cross is preparing a portion of the city-owned property that could accommodate more than 100 tents which will house the evacuees. /Michelle Joy L. Padayhag, Correspondent with Correspondent Jose Santino S. Bunachita