Sorsogon bids bye to ‘Ruby,’ hello to its holiday season

AFTER heaving a sigh of relief for being spared from Typhoon “Ruby,” the provincial government of Sorsogon returns to its celebration of Christmas, reinstalling Christmas trees made of the local shell “baluko.” MARK ALVIC ESPLANA/INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

SORSOGON CITY—Goodbye Typhoon “Ruby”. Welcome Christmas.

The clearest signs that this city has overcome its fear of the latest storm to strike the Bicol region are rising at a park of the provincial government—Christmas trees and lanterns made of “baluko,” a sea shell endemic to the province.

Milo Naval, provincial consultant for economic and tourism affairs and the decorations’ designer, supervised the reinstallation of the trees and lanterns as residents of the city and province heaved a collective sigh of relief that they were spared from Ruby’s wrath.

Raden Dimaano, head of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council, said the province recorded only seven injuries in the city and towns of Bulusan, Castilla, Gubat and Irosin.

At least 85 houses were destroyed in Bulusan and Magallanes.

At the height of Ruby, the provincial government evacuated more than 270,000 people.

But Dimaano said all coastal villages in Matnog and the island villages in the town of Calintaan were spared.

Power was quickly restored in the city and other parts of the province.

“We are truly thankful,” said Robert Lee Rodriguez, provincial administrator. He said the province is still reeling from the effects of storm “Glenda” which struck in July last year, killing three people and destroying more than 10,000 houses.

The trees and lanterns had been removed days before Ruby made landfall on Dolores town in Eastern Samar and amid projections that several other provinces in the Bicol region, including Sorsogon, would be hit by the storm.

Workers, watched closely by Naval, on Tuesday started reinstalling each of the 30 16-foot tall trees and the lanterns as storm clouds parted to make way for sunshine.

His crutches beside him as he supervised the reinstallation, Naval, also an international furniture designer, said each tree is made of more than 2,000 pieces of baluko woven into a wire frame.

Baluko was also used on the Christmas lanterns that are also being reinstalled in the capitol grounds. Each lantern is made of at least 1,000 baluko.

The Christmas decorations radiate with blue light, drawing tourists and residents and showing how the province is recycling its trash and coming out to celebrate following the fear that gripped it because of Ruby.