Restoring life after Typhoon Odette through Cash for Health
27 July 2022With hospitals, clinics, and rural health clinics destroyed or damaged by Typhoon Odette (Rai), mothers and their children in Southern Leyte had limited or no access to medicine and health services.
Living in a typhoon-prone country, Filipinos are no strangers to how destructive typhoons can be. The first priority of Filipino families when a faced with such a natural calamity is to ensure the safety of their loved ones, as typhoons, especially severe ones, pose a huge threat to human life. However, it cannot be helped that looking after their homes and belongings remain a concern because once the storm has cleared, they will need their material possessions in order to rebuild.
Cheryl and her family are one of the many Filipinos who did not plan on evacuating when they were told that Typhoon Odette would land in the night. But come afternoon, the weather had worsened considerably, and they were forced to evacuate from their home in Barangay Lugsongan in Limasawa, Southern Leyte. Although they managed to get to safety, their home and crops were left to be destroyed.
“Maong niingon na lang akoang bana nga balhin nalang mamakwit na sa akoang igagaw para ang mga bata ma safety na. Among balay nilupad. Maong ingon sa among silingan nga, ‘Inyong balay nawala, misag haligi walay nakita.’ Ingon ko, ‘Pagtarong baya manoy.’ Ingon siya, ‘Mao lagi misag haligi walay makita.’ Pagkabuntag mao gisaka sa akong bana, tinuod jud wala nami balay. Nilupad mga gamit namo mga bugas. Wa na, wa na lagi. Misag init dako, akong bana nagtukod ug haligi. Way katabang syempre. Nagtrabaho sya para naa mi silungan.”
(I asked my husband to evacuate so we can keep our children safe. Our house was blown down by strong winds. Our neighbor told us our house was wrecked, even the walls have fallen. So, the following day, my husband came back and it was true–we lost our home to the typhoon. Our things, crops were blown away. There was nothing left. Even when it was hot, my husband still rebuilt our house. He didn’t have help, but he continued so we could have a home again.)
Cheryl had just recently given birth when the typhoon hit, so she feared for the safety of her newborn child and the rest of her children.
She continues, “Kalooy sa Diyos sige rapud sya katulog misag gibagyo mi wala pud sya perwisyo tulog rapud sya. May na lang nakabalhin pud lagi mi kay ug wala pa, sementeryo nami ron. Menteryo nami kay makita pa diay mi. Kay ug wala pami mubalhin menteryo nami tanan kay wala pajud koy plano mubalhin kay ingon lag inga hinay lang ang bagyo.” (Through the mercy of God, my youngest was just asleep throughout the night. It was good that we evacuated as well. If we didn’t, maybe we would be dead by now, especially that we didn’t want to leave because we were told the typhoon wouldn’t be this bad.)
Sadly, the typhoon didn’t just leave them without a home. Cheryl’s family also had to survive the days after it without any income until help and relief arrived.
Fortunately, the Cash for Health program reached Limasawa and Cheryl was one of the fortunate recipients of the program. She shares that the program helped them improve their situation, especially since they had no source of income. Through the cash assistance they received, Cheryl was able to provide for the needs and attend to the health of her children.
Aside from financial support, she says that they were also able to reach out to the program when their children were ill. “Malaking tulong din lalo na sa bata. Salamat sa mga nitabang namo. Daghan kaayong salamat. Misag lisud ang panahon naa gihapon nitabang namo.” (It’s a big help for the children. So, thank you to everyone who helped us. Thank you so much for helping us during such a difficult time.)
Despite experiencing hardships in the wake of Super Typhoon Odette, Cheryl dreams of a brighter future for her children. She hopes that they finish their studies, find good jobs, and pay it forward.
The Cash for Health Program is part of Plan International’s Emergency Response to areas affected by Typhoon Odette, made possible with funding from the United Nations Central Emergency Fund (UN CERF) and UNFPA Philippines.
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