Supertyphoon “Yolanda” on November 8, 2013 devastated communities and left hundreds of thousands of families homeless.
But for a farming family in Tapaz town in Capiz province, the calamity was also a test of their faith in life and in each other. After their house was destroyed, the family members had to separate in order to survive. The father who had just undergone surgery and could not do strenuous work stayed at his uncle. His wife lived with their married daughter. They were dependent on the income of their son who worked as a farm laborer and who was staying with his paternal uncle along with his youngest sister.
Another daughter, May (not her real name), the fifth of the six siblings, decided to accept an offer to work as a house help in Manila so she can help her family.
An Acquaintance from a neighboring barangay recruited and helped her to go to Manila. But she was instead brought to Pampanga where she was forced to work in a cybersex den.
Her family learned only of her plight when the den was raided by authorities and they were informed that May was one of the girls rescued at the shop.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) office in Pampanga took custody of May along with other minors rescued in the den.
May’s mother sought assistance from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office in Tapaz to visit her daughter in Pampanga.
The social worker deployed by the DSWD-United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the municipality gathered information, conducted counseling or psychosocial sessions for the family, and referred them to the DSWD trafficking office for transportation assistance.
May and other children staying at the center tried to run away from the facility but they were always caught by security guards.
Eventually, May stopped trying to escape and decided to enroll and complete an Alternative Learning Study program through the help of the center that took her in, the Rohema Center for Women in Pampanga.
Her mother borrowed money from a relative (with 10% interest) so she can visit and bring May home to Tapaz. But she was frustrated because her daughter did not come home with her because she opted to stay at the center where her needs can be better provided and where she can continue her studies.
May’s father only reached Grade I while her mother is illiterate. The highest educational level the siblings reached is Grade VI because of poverty.
In March, May visited her family in Tapaz with the assistance of a social worker and spent a week with her parents and siblings.
Soon after, the family was able to rent land where they planted root and other crops.
They came up with an agreement with the owner to pay rent depending on the area of the land they will utilize. They also availed of services for the survivors of Supertypoon Yolanda.
Presently, the family members are living together under one roof in Tapaz after the eldest child managed to build a house for the family. They are resilient enough in dealing with problems that might come their way.
This situation only shows that sometimes, the problems we encounter in life are tests on how strong are we and how we are going to deal with it.
It does not mean that if life started or went bad, it will also end badly. Instead bad experience, if handled well, helps us to be stronger and have a better future.
May’s ordeal could be considered a bad dream.
But it also provided an opportunity for her to study.
“Nalipay guid siya biskan amo to ang natabo sa iya bangod kay naka eskwela siya. Kay kung saligan lang ang amon ginikanan, Wala tsansa nga maka eskwela kag kung diri lang, ulan kag init lang sulayon (She is happy despite what happened to her because she was able to go to school. If we rely on our parents, we will not have an opportunity to go to school and we will just endure the rain in the sun here), “May’s sister said.
My experience has deepened my belief that all things happen for a reason. That each of us has a role to help another person or family for their betterment even in just simple things. Acceptance by one’s family is also important./dswd6/Mary Jonalyn Adorable, Social Worker