In isolated Cebu town, diseases starting to break out

Residents go through an obstacle course of fallen trees in a village in Daanbantayan, Cebu, a town isolated from the rest of the country as result of the devastation left by Supertyphoon “Yolanda.” TONEE DESPOJO/CEBU DAILY NEWS

CEBU CITY—Left without shelter, food and water, residents in Daanbantayan town in northern Cebu are starting to get sick.

“I’m afraid there will be an epidemic of diseases in our town. I can’t imagine being in this situation in a few more days. My heart bleeds. But I have to be strong,” said Daanbantayan Mayor Augusto Corro in a phone interview.

Diarrhea and fever are common among the displaced town residents, days after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” struck.

Corro said the people are in dire need of medicines aside from basic necessities like food, water and tents.

“We’re expecting help to come. People have nowhere to stay,” said the mayor.

“They have been seeking shelter from one place to another. Our gymnasium, where they could have evacuated, is destroyed. We’re in a very difficult situation,” Corro said.

Practically the whole of Daanbantayan, with a population of 74,000, has been destroyed.

Relief goods have been sent by local government units and the private sector to the northern Cebu towns. But these are obviously not enough.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III visited at least 10 localities in the northern part of Cebu over the weekend.

Water is most needed, according to the governor. He asked the provincial board to consider the purchase of generators for use to power water sources.

“They are really devastated,” said Davide. “I have not seen anything like that before. I thought things like these are just scenes on TV. But they are real,” he added.

Davide urged Cebuanos to send whatever help they can. “Let’s help our people,” he said.

Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said Manila Water Company, a private water concessionaire, is donating a water purifier that can turn seawater into potable water.

Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez said his town got two generator sets from the towns of Aloguinsan and Asturias. Water in the town, however, continued to be insufficient.

Yolanda left massive destruction in the northern towns of Cebu despite preparations by local government units.

Mayor Corro said nine persons were killed and 95 percent of houses had been destroyed.

In Medellin, 90 percent of houses had been destroyed, said Mayor Ramirez.

“I feel weak when thinking how we can start all over again,” said Ramirez. “The supertyphoon flattened the whole town. What we’ve worked hard to build for years got ruined in a matter of hours. I’m not ashamed to say that what happened drove me to tears.”

Bogo City Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr. said the city is running out of food. “Water is badly needed here,” he said.

He advised village chiefs to use their calamity funds of about P150,000 to P300,000 to buy relief supply.

At least 90 percent of houses in Bogo, including that of Mayor Martinez, had been destroyed.

“The solution to our problem is money,” he said.

The people, however, refused to give up. A day after Yolanda struck, some residents of Medellin returned to fishing and farming, said Mayor Ramirez.

Corro also expressed optimism. “As a leader, I want to show my people that I’m strong. But at the back of my mind, I’m filled with grief,” Corro said in a phone interview.

“Definitely, we have to stand up. Now, we’re at the bottom. But there’s no way for us to go but up,” Corro said.

The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council has listed the death toll in Cebu at 60.—With a report by Jhunnex Napallacan, Inquirer Visayas