Typhoon Ulysses has been a living nightmare to many Filipinos who fell victim to its onslaught. People continue to suffer even weeks after it ravaged the country. In the November 22 episode of Iba ‘Yan, host Angel Locsin heard the stories of rescuers and victims, who sacrificed life and limb just to assure the safety of their families amid the typhoon’s wrath.
As a Chapter Service Representative in the Philippine Red Cross, Marvin Santos would always step up to the plate in helping people in need in calamities such as this. Marvin told Angel that he finished a degree in nursing, although he shared that he originally wanted to pursue engineering. But eventually, he learned to love the course that he chose to take. After graduating, he worked as a volunteer nurse in Red Cross. After eight years, he became part of the staff as a Chapter Service Representative. When they rescued the victims of Typhoon Ulysses, they started working at midnight of November 12 when Ulysses made its landfall as they already knew that a lot of residents needed their help. The operation lasted until past five in the morning because many evacuees needed to be transferred immediately. The Red Cross saved approximately 307 people in that span of time.
Angel also met another selfless hero, Jess Guian, a caregiver who also helps shoulder the education of his younger sibling. When the typhoon reached its peak, he made sure that the stroke patient he cared for was safe before anything else. As the rains worsened, the flood water level inside Jess’s house reached knee level just after five minutes. And after an hour it already reached waist level. By this time, Jess saw to it that his companions in his flooded residence were all out of danger.
Angel likewise spoke to Rodelyn Guillermo, who is a dedicated mother to her five children. She actually just gave birth to her youngest child a few days before Typhoon Ulysses hit. She and her family were evacuated to the Kasiglahan Village National High School when the floodwaters rose in their area. When it subsided, Rodelyn discovered that their house was still covered with mud, and thus could not still live in it.
Angel then chatted with Jovanji Alegre who’s also a wife and mother. She was one of those residents who didn’t wait for rescuers before leaving their house. Jovanji decided to evacuate immediately because she had experienced being trapped in the floods of previous typhoons. She also wanted to secure the safety of her children. Just like Rodelyn, Jovanji and her family could not go back to their house as it’s still covered with mud and lost all their belongings in the typhoon’s wake.
Angel also talked to Jenalyn Tambucong, who took extra care of her children amid the typhoon even if it meant risking her own life and safety. She didn’t mind losing all their material possessions because what only mattered to her was the safety of her children. What happened to her and her children while braving the flood, the strong winds and rain, was beyond traumatic. One of her children almost didn’t survive while they were evacuating their house. Jenalyn was all by herself when she was saving her children from that catastrophe because her husband was working in Batangas. She shared that her children were very scared while they were trying to save themselves. But Jenalyn kept on telling her children to keep fighting. Right now, she doesn’t know where to go and how to start again.
To help Jess, Rodelyn, Jovanji, and Jenalyn and their families start all over again, Angel and the Iba ‘Yan team provided them cash assistance, clothing, relief goods, hygiene kits, vitamins, boots, and mattresses, and for Rodelyn and Jovanji, baby essentials such as diapers, milk, and feeding bottles.
Iba ‘Yan continued helping the rest of the families greatly affected by typhoon Ulysses and who are temporarily staying at Kasiglahan Village National High School and Elementary School in Rodriguez, Rizal as they distributed relief packs, hygiene kits, clean drinking water, mattresses, pillows, and blankets, slippers, vitamins and medicine kits.
Iba ‘Yan airs every Sunday, 6:45pm on the Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live and A2Z Channel 11.