Seawalls and School Classrooms

Seawalls are an important defense against storm surges. They prevent flooding and save lives. Walling off the entire Philippine coast is not feasible of course. However there are seawalls throughout the country. One of those seawalls was recently damaged in during a tropical storm. President Marcos has assured the wall's reconstruction will be expedited. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1237510

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday said the government will expedite the reconstruction of the damaged seawall in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte to protect communities from storm surges and flooding.

Marcos made the announcement during the aid distribution of over PHP70 million in livelihood and financial assistance for thousands affected by Typhoon Marce at Pagudpud Cultural and Sports Complex.

Following his inspection of the damaged seawall, Marcos said the plans for its reconstruction were already in place and progressing swiftly.

"Good thing, that seawall is in process, it's already being built," he said.

 "It will be bid out in two weeks? Three weeks? The project is already up for bidding, so it will proceed quickly. We won't go through the process of finding funds, appropriating, and we're actually doing it, so we'll just continue with it," he said.

He said the construction of the elevated road near the seawall would also be prioritized to enhance the area's resilience.

"If you see, there is already a road -- there is something like a seawall but the new one has a road on top. And that's what we will continue with," he said.

Marcos also inspected classrooms of damaged by Marce and coordinated with the Department of Education to expedite repairs, ensuring students can return to school as soon as possible.

“We are looking for a way to fix it quickly so the kids can return [to schools]," he said, noting that alternative learning spaces were established to serve as temporary classrooms for the students.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that 9,340 individuals, or 2,903 families, were affected by Marce in Ilocos Norte. A total of 540 families or 1,635 individuals are in evacuation centers.

But how long will it take to rebuild? Years??

The seawall in Leyte has been under construction for 9 years and is only 64% complete.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1237375

After nine years of construction, the Leyte tide embankment project designed to shield coastal communities from big waves is 64 percent complete, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported on Friday.

DPWH 8 (Eastern Visayas) Director Edgar Tabacon admitted that building the 38.12-km. storm surge protection from this city to Tanauan town continues to be a challenge 11 years after Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) struck the region.

“Since the start of construction in 2016, we have been addressing several issues. We are a democratic country and we cannot ignore oppositions but we will try our best to complete this project within the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” Tabacon said in a phone interview.

The project completion date depends on the available funds downloaded by the central government, he said.

Of the estimated PHP12.17 billion required budget, PHP9 billion has been released from 2016 until this year for the 19-km. flood mitigation structure and a 5.43-km. backwater dike.

As of the end of October, the DPWH reported completing 19.51 km. of the 38.64 km. of structures, while construction of 5.52 km. is ongoing and work has yet to begin for 13.6 km.

The project covers the construction of 22.63 km. of flood mitigation structure and 16 km. of backwater dike structure.

The flood mitigation structure aims to protect communities in this city and the nearby towns of Palo and Tanauan from destructive waves. It has stainless steel flap gates and river gates with actuators.

It also has a bike lane with railings, ramps, and streetlights.

“From San Juanico Bridge to downtown, the embankment will also be a parallel highway to address traffic congestion from the city to the Samar area. We still have to coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for environmental consideration and hold a series of public consultations,” Tabacon added.

The project stretches from Diit village here to Cabuynan village in Tanauan town, aiming to protect 33,000 residents from big waves based on a 50-year projected population.

Sections 1 to 3 are in the northern part of this city to downtown areas, Section 4 is from the San Jose district in this city to the Palo town boundary, Section 5 is in areas of Palo and Tanauan, and Section 6 is in Tanauan town.

In most sections, the four-meter-wide structure has a bay walk and bicycle lane.

The project, built 30 meters from the shoreline, will protect 33.7 square meters of properties and 33,185 houses and buildings.

Building the four-meter-high structure came after the 2013 storm surges whipped by Yolanda’s fierce winds wiped out neighborhoods in Leyte province.

This story is ridiculous. Everyone still talks about the horrors of Super typhoon Yolanda which caused much devastation. This wall was implemented to prevent such destruction from happening again yet after 9 years it is only 64% complete. It requires 12 billion pesos but only 9 billion has been released. Why isn't there a fund dedicated to constructing this wall?

9 years with only 64% constructed means it will take another 5 to 6 years to finish. Meanwhile tropical storms come and go and the citizens of Leyte are at the mercy of the national budget. Why hasn't the project been completed sooner? Perhaps the government doesn't care as much as they claim.

Even worse than the story of this seawall is students in Leyte are still suffering the consequences of Yolanda. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/11/11/leyte-school-still-using-temporary-learning-spaces

Eleven years after Typhoon "Yolanda" ravaged the Philippines, a school in Leyte continues to rely on temporary learning spaces, highlighting the disaster's long-term impact on the region’s educational infrastructure.

On Monday, Nov. 11, the Department of Education (DepEd), led by Secretary Sonny Angara, visited schools in Leyte to assess the implementation of digitalization programs and identify gaps in facilities.

DepEd visited St. Francis Elementary School, which was severely affected by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Despite various recovery initiatives, some schools continue to face significant challenges in rebuilding, leaving students and educators to make do with makeshift classrooms.

"The school is currently experiencing gaps in facilities and classrooms, as it is housing 547 learners in Temporary Learning Spaces," DepEd said.

Angara, along with the agency’s Executive and Management Committee members, monitored schools in Leyte as part of DepEd’s ongoing efforts to address challenges on the ground.

11 years later and some schools are still using makeshift classrooms. That is absolutely shameful. What is really going on in Leyte? Where are the funds to rebuild? It is mind boggling that after 11 years Leyte has yet to recover from Yolanda.

This Filipino is VERY Resilient

Everyone hears about how resilient Filipinos are. This man embodies that spirit. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/content/925796/viral-kakanin-vendor-braves-kristine-floods-to-feed-family/story/

During tropical cyclone Kristine's heavy downpour in October, a vendor went viral for walking through massive floods and winds while carrying his container of kakanin.

"Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" discovered that this man, Randy, lives in Calamba, Laguna, and that he decided to brave the storm to earn an income to feed his family.

["All I could think of was my family not having anything to eat. That's why I forced myself to go out into the streets to sell"]

Randy said that he knew a storm was coming that day; he seized the opportunity because sales were strong during storms.

His wife, Jovimee, however, told him to stay at home because of the bad weather, but Randy was persistent.

While selling kakanin during the storm, Randy's metal container began to break, and he himself was nearly swept away by the strong winds.

Randy held onto an iron fence as onlookers shouted, unaware of how far he'd walked through the flood. Unable to walk in slippers, he went barefoot. 

While he was away, Jovimee feared for her husband.

["I didn't receive an update from him the whole day. I was afraid metal sheets might fly around."]

Although Randy was able to sell all his kakanin, the storm got stronger on his way home.

["The storm was really strong! I got scared and had to stop for a moment to hold on to the area near the gutter"]

Randy came across more trouble when he fell into a canal in Barangay Halang, Calamba.

["I didn't know there was an open canal there. I just fell right in!"]

["I was scared I'd get swept underneath. Out of fear, I quickly climbed out and kept walking. All I could think about was getting home, knowing my family was waiting for me. They might have nothing to eat, especially in a storm. I was worried that something might happen to them."]

When he finally got home, Jovimee thanked the Lord that nothing dangerous happened to her husband.

So, Randy, knowing there was a fierce storm coming decided to go out and hawk his kakanin. He says sales are strong during storms. Now, why is that? Why are people buying food from street vendors during storms? Because they can't go out so they wait for some hapless street vendor amble along selling stuff?

Then he falls into a gutter. Presumably he is walking his normal route, BAREFOOT, and did not realize there was an open canal in his path. Did he forget? But he climbed out safe and sound and kept walking home. 

You see, Randy is resilient. 

Randy's perseverance

Randy leaves his home at 5 a.m. daily to sell puto, sapin-sapin, and kutsinta. He then commutes to Los Banos, Laguna, where he sells these kakanin.

Randy's daily earnings vary, with P1,500 being the largest amount. He then sends money to the business owner, and brings home P500 to P600 for his family.

["We use the money for food, electricity, water, and school expenses. It's never enough because there are always unexpected school costs.]

["I don't think about the exhaustion. I just want to put my kids through school. As long as I can work, I'll keep going because I don't want them to end up like me."]

Randy shared that he chose to live in Calamba and work in the south to search for his mother.

Raised in Pangasinan, Randy didn't finish school and started selling binatog with his uncle. Later, his grandmother told him he wasn't a blood relative and that his real mother was from Calamba.

["When the woman left, she didn't give a name. They just gave me away, like bread.]

His father figure, Tatay Andoy, said it was difficult to reveal this to Randy after raising him. "Para sa akin talaga, tunay na anak ko na siya."

["To me, he was like my own child."]

Randy learned no new details about his mother from Tatay Andoy but remains grateful to the family who raised him. At 17, he began supporting himself by selling kakanin in Laguna while continuing his search for his mother.

Not only is Randy selling food to provide for his family but he is also looking for his mother. As if one day she will magically show up even though he has no idea who she is or what she looks like. Poor Randy was raised by a grandmother who was not his grandmother. She was merely an old woman to whom Randy was given to raise. 

But there is hope she might be found because a random lady took a video of Randy trudging barefoot through the storm.  

The viral video

When Randy was on the way home after selling kakanin during Typhoon Kristine, a woman named Shamillae took a video of him. 

She said she recorded it after they were asked to leave a coffee shop due to rising floodwaters. Unaware he was being filmed, Randy kept walking through Barangay Halang.

Jovimee watched the video when a neighbor showed it to her.

["I cried because I didn't realize the extent of what he went through just to be able to come home."]

Following this, several people were able to donate rice for Randy. When he and Shamillae met, she also offered him cash.

The barangay staff and Calamba City's local government provided Randy with sacks of rice, groceries, and other essentials, along with a scholarship for his child.

Randy also hopes the viral video will be a way for him to meet his mother.

["I hope someone can help me find my real parents. I want to meet them because I have a lot of questions about why they did what they did."]

Because of the video much attention was given to Randy's plight. People donated money and the barangay gave him "sacks of rice, groceries, and other essentials, along with a scholarship for his child." 

Well, good for him. His resilience has paid off because it was all caught on video.

But how many more people in this same situation have not been caught on video? How many more Filipinos are out walking around barefoot doing every thing they can to provide for their family? 

Hopefully they stay resilient. Continue on walking that barefoot path selling food or other wares and maybe, just maybe, strangers, or even the barangay who are supposed to offer help to the poor, will lend a helping hand. 

Let's hear it for Randy. Let's hear it for Filipino resiliency.

For Two Years Inept Philippine Government Has Stymied Odette Recovery

Remember the Super Typhoon Odette? She struck the Philippines nearly two years ago on December 21st, 2021 causing a massive amount of damage. But because the government is so inept and corrupt the nation is still recovering. On October 16th 12,500 resident of Mandaue received cash aid to assist in recovering from Odette. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/534028/12500-odette-victims-in-mandaue-to-receive-cash-aid-from-nha

A total of 12,500 Mandauehanons are set to receive Super Typhoon Odette financial assistance, according to an official of the National Housing Authority in Central Visayas (NHA-7).

Mandaue City residents, who were severely affected by Odette, but were not listed in the first tranche of the cash aid, need not worry because they will still be included in the succeeding tranches, NHA-7 Regional Manager Engr. Rizalindo Cabahug said.

Cabahug said that another round of distribution for the succeeding batches will be scheduled after the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30.

NHA is giving out cash assistance amounting to P10,000 to families affected by the calamity that hit on December 16, 2021.

On Monday, Oct. 16, NHA started the distribution of the first tranche of the cash aid. This will continue until Thursday, Oct. 19.

A total of 4,000 beneficiaries will receive aid from NHA during the first tranche.

Fe Bancale of Barangay Bakilid was one of the recipients of the NHA cash assistance on Monday.

Bancale said she will use the money to buy new GI sheets to replace their roof that was blown away by the super typhoon.

Since the typhoon, her family had been using used GI sheets, that would leak every time it would rain, for their temporary roof.

"I'll replace [it with a new one] because it still has a hole. [The release of the assistance] took a little time, but it's okay as long as it's acceptable," said Bancale.

According to Cabahug their list of beneficiaries was based on the report that they received from the barangays and the city government.

Prioritization was given to families whose homes were either totally or badly damaged by Odette.

Cabahug said the same cash assistance will also be given after the BSKE to residents of the other localities in Cebu and the rest of the region who were also badly affected by Odette. These will include those who are in the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Cebu and the southern parts of Cebu Province, among others.

The NHA-7 official admitted that they experienced delays in the processing of the cash aid also because of the volume of requests that their office received.

"Actually quite a bit, the NHA itself can't handle it. This [distribution] is like this, that's why we increased personnel coming from the city government, social welfare. If we do this, [then] 4,000 books, I don't think we will really get this much," said Cabahug.

One lady has been so destitute that she has been living with a leaky roof for nearly two years! You'd think she and others would have been able to quickly get some help but the NHA says they couldn't handle the backlog. But two years? To add insult to injury the second tranche of recipients have to wait until after the October 30th elections to receive their share because no political projects including aid to people is allowed during the campaign period.

The Dingat Islands are another area still recovering two years after Odette. Dinagat Islands Rep. Alan Uno Ecleo indicates recovery is all he has been working on from the end of his first term until now. The recovery has been so slow that he had to personally ask the President to avail of funds for families whose houses were destroyed by the storm.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/10/04/regions/lawmaker-eyes-district-recovery-from-odette/1913112

Recovery from one of the worst storms to hit the country in recent years remains the key priority for Dinagat Islands Rep. Alan Uno Ecleo.

In his "State of the District Address" on Monday, which also happened to be the 17th founding anniversary of the island province, Ecleo said that two years since Typhoon Odette struck, resident continue to live under its shadow.

"All our efforts in the tail end of our first term, even in the middle of the National Elections, and through the beginning of our second term have been focused on one thing: paano tayo makakabangon? (how can we recover?)," Ecleo said.

He said that his district has reported several milestones in terms of recovering and rebuilding from the storm that hit the province in December 2021.

These include the Department of Social Welfare and Development 's provision of P119.7 million worth of emergency shelter assistance (ESA) to nearly 12,700 families whose homes were destroyed by the storm.

He also personally sought the help of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for additional aid of P13.6 million for 1,453 families whose homes were partially destroyed, and P34.4 million for 13,808 families.

"But we are not done. We are still hard at work in reaching 1,075 more families with the remaining 2.7 million pesos worth of ESA by the end of the year," Ecleo said.

He also said that he has secured P267 million in funding for the repair and improvement of school buildings that were destroyed by Odette, with the remaining P933 million still being secured.

Ecleo also showcased the bills that he filed that would establish Dinagat Islands' first state college, Level 2 general hospital, municipal and regional trial court branches, and the island's first airport, which the President vocally supported during his trip to the province.

He welcomed the Chief Executive's desire to continue helping the island province and create plans for its tourism industry, which includes connectivity to the province, calling it "good news".

"We share the President's vision for a more connected Dinagat Islands, that is why among our many other initiatives, we are also pushing the province to be a part of the planned Eastern Nautical Highway," Ecleo added.

He said that there is still much to be done to uplift the lives of people in the aftermath of Odette and of poverty, and has called on for the development of a "pro-poor, disaster-resilient agriculture and fisheries sector" in the province in order to promote food security, livelihood and sustainability.

"And a large part of this is creating livelihood and jobs for all Dinagatnons, through projects like the Multi-Species Hatchery which we enacted into establishment and is now in the process of being constructed." he said.

And there is still much to be done!

So, not only is the Philippines not prepared to endure a typhoon or any severe weather by lessening the amount of casualties and property destruction but they are not even prepared to recover. But if the nation cannot fully recover from one typhoon to the next then it's simply a perpetual cycle of destruction, partial recovery, and destruction. We have seen this kind of inept bungling for years especially with Yolanda. What's it going to take to break the cycle? It looks like nothing. 

Tropical Storm? So What!

A tropical storm does not mean a stop or a standstill of any kind in the Philippines.  Life finds away.  For tricycle and pedicab drivers it means breaking out the large sheets of plastic.

For motorcyclists it means breaking out the rain coat or plastic bag.

Life may not come to a stop but traffic sure does come to a screeching halt.  Especially if there is a power outage caused by the wind blowing the traffic lights around.