03/08/2025
SIRPATAN: For residents of Brgy. San Agustin, the sun may have come out, but it only made their sad realities clearer.
(Image 2-5) Rey Ducusin, 44, stands by the house that kept his family safe thru the decades they've resided here. It is now a decapitated structure. He suffers from diabetes complications, lung ailments, and has recently just survived a stroke. Inside the remnants of his house are soaked appliances and an oxygen tank. He says this is the first time he'd experienced such strong winds.
(Image 6&7) Emmanuel Annague starts to clear the space where once his Sari-sari store stood. It crumbled completely, sans the flooring. He estimates the amount of damage to be above P100,000.
(Image 9-14) By the shore, scenes of destruction are clear. Napoleon Cabradilla, 56, starts to hand-craft a new Paltaw to replace ones destroyed by the typhoon. It's been almost 3 weeks since the last time he was to able to fish. His neighbors report that more than 30 fishing boats were totally wrecked. 5 boats were swept away by the tide and are still missing. 20 sets of fishing nets were also destroyed. Antonio Dique, 79, walks thru the rubbles of bamboo sheds that served as homes to his neighbors.
The sun is out. The waves will soon calm. But the truth for many of them is, even in normal sunny days, they're already struggling with their basic needs. Now, with the aftermath of typhoon Emong's onslaught, their problems are compounded. How will you feed yourself and your family with a broken fishing boat? Have the authorities actually asked this question?
Life will continue for the fisherfolk community of San Agustin, but the typhoon exposes a painful contradiction: the life they will continue to live with is far from the life they deserve. These people who feed the community for a living, contributes to the local economy on a daily (catch) basis, and are bearers of an artisanal fishing culture, are the most vulnerable because of a long running system of neglect and oppression.
Story contributed by: Tignayan Production
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