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'Hope Stories of Haiyan'

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Haiyan Stories: Leyte (Corazon dela Cruz)


by Paula Nierras



Kapitana Corazon dela Cruz was in the gymnasium when Typhoon Yolanda lashed out on Tanauan.

Parang katapusan ng mundo (It felt like the end of days).

The winds screeched, blew roofs away like they were paper. Flood waters and debris broke open the doors, and stampeded in.

All of them shivered from the cold, from hunger and fear, but had they not been there, they knew their chances of surviving were slimmer. She was with her ka-baranggays, those whom she helped evacuate days prior. But not among these people was her family, who instead chose to stay in their house downtown.

Not knowing whether they survived was torture especially since it was very apparent that death lingered in their midst. As Kapitana Corazon stayed in the evacuation center to help out in the disaster response, all she could do for her own kin was to pray intently for their safety.

“Kahit saan may patay. Pero binuhay ka e. May kailangan ka pang gawin.” (Death was everywhere. I was spared. That means I still have a purpose here.)

Her prayers were answered hours later when her husband arrived and told her that their children were alive and well. It wasn’t the same case though for her parents who lived nearer to the sea. But as she puts it, “maybe it’s God’s plan for them.”

Today, despite a much tougher life after Yolanda, Corazon continues to serve her community as she had done so for the last 8 years. With so much work of rebuilding to be done, her desire to move with purpose only became stronger.


'Hope Stories of Haiyan'

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