Pacquiao visit makes survivors forget woes

TACLOBAN CITY–Manny Pacquiao on Monday tramped through the ruins of Barangay 90, one of the worst-hit villages in this typhoon-devastated city, and found two bodies in the debris.

Twenty-two days after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: “Haiyan”) flattened entire communities in this region, teams from the Bureau of Fire Prevention were still finding bodies as survivors picked up the pieces of their lives.

“A lot still needs to be done,” Pacquiao said. “Just walking about, we saw two bodies.”

The boxing champion went into the interior of the coastal village, accompanied by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson.

“In my entire life, I have seen nothing like this. The damage is just so enormous. I cannot imagine how the people can manage without help from the government,” Pacquiao said as he walked in the mud under overcast skies.

The mood was somber among the pockets of frazzled residents who had gathered to see Pacquiao.

Someone brought out body bags and the bodies were put in them. The stench of death was still overpowering three weeks after Yolanda, with peak winds of up to 320 kilometers per hour, swept across central Philippines, killing more than 5,600 people.

Here and there, residents were putting up tents distributed by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to decongest evacuation centers and take them out of schools as classes resume this week.

The white tents with the blue logo of the UNHCR have begun to mushroom in the area littered with fallen coconut trees and the debris of destroyed houses behind beach front resorts.

“The people were asking for help. It’s not only food, they need houses,” Pacquiao, in red-orange T-shirt and blue jeans, said.

“They need help to begin a new life, make their life normal again,” he said. “The relief supplies I am bringing will not be enough. There is so much needed. I am thinking of organizing a fund-raising event to raise funds for shelter.”

Pacquiao, who holds Sarangani’s seat in the House of Representatives, later said in Palo town that he would launch a fund-raising campaign in the United States, where he intended to travel to before yearend, to help rebuild homes in Tacloban.

Many people lined up in evacuation centers in Tacloban early in the morning as word spread that the boxing champ was arriving to distribute emergency assistance. But aides said he wanted to have a firsthand look at the situation and that his donation was coming later.

Not disappointed

But the residents were not disappointed. According to Nenita Badida, 64, Pacquiao’s presence alone was enough to give them temporary relief from the pain inflicted on them by Yolanda.

Couple Roland and Corita Ubal, both 35, said just seeing their idol in the flesh gave them a momentary respite from their woes.

“At least his visit makes us forget the calamity. Thank you for visiting us. We will never forget you, Pacman,” Roland said, using Pacquiao’s ring nickname.

Pacquiao left General Santos City on Saturday. Using a helicopter, he hopscotched across a dozen towns in Eastern Samar and Leyte in the heart of the disaster zone before flying to Tacloban on Sunday night.

Pacquiao sent 10 trucks of relief supplies to typhoon-ravaged communities in Samar and Leyte provinces.

He sent 100 sacks of rice to Palo ahead of his arrival there on Monday.

Pacquiao arrived in Tacloban after 8 a.m. and proceeded to City Hall to join Mayor Alfred Romualdez, Representative Romualdez and businessman Benjamin Philip Romualdez in a flag-raising ceremony.

After the singing of the national anthem, Mayor Romualdez asked Pacquiao to address the city residents.

‘Rise, Tacloban’

The boxing champ spoke, exhorting the people of Tacloban never to give up.

“I know you can rise again just like me. In the past, I, too, fell. But I persevered to get up and I rose again,” Pacquiao said.

“Don’t lose hope. As long as we live, there is hope. We can manage to return to normal living. Never forget God. He will never abandon us,” he said.

From City Hall, Pacquiao motored to Tacloban Astrodome where 1,464 people who lost their homes as Yolanda roared through Tacloban were temporarily staying.

As he traveled through the city that was slowly coming back to its feet, he pulled down the window of his sport utility vehicle to wave at crowds of people who broke into squeals of delight and cheers of “Manny! Manny!”

“We are elated. We are thrilled by the presence of such people as Congressman Manny Paquiao,” said Representative Romualdez.

“His recent victory has brought us into an inspirational mood. He is giving messages from the Lord’s book not to lose hope,” he said, referring to Pacquiao’s newfound Christian faith.

“There must have been a reason why we survived this and we have to carry on. And we have to make sure the world knows that despite all the death and destruction, we here are able to stand up,” Representative Romualdez said.

“They say it’s going to be a silent night,” he said.

“A lonely night,” Pacquiao said.

Representative Romualdez’s older brother, Philip, said he had spoken to the archbishop of Palo, who told him that Pope Francis had asked the papal nuncio in Manila, Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, to say the Christmas Eve Mass in Palo to show solidarity with the people of Leyte.

“We are working with the archdiocese so that we will organize events of Christmas, caroling, concerts. We are asking artists who might want to participate in spreading the joy,” Philip said.

Children’s Christmas

“We are also soliciting toys so that we can still give toys to the children, give them something to look forward to on Christmas. It might be a little bit dark but it’s still Christmas. We are working hard to make it happen for the children,” he said.

“There are children in a state of shock. I’m sure it will take years for them to recover. Hopefully, we can use the spirit of Christmas as a catalyst to bring life back to them,” Philip said.—With reports from Joey Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas; and Aquiles Z. Zonio, Inquirer Mindanao

 

 

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