One year has passed since Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), one of the strongest typhoon ever recorded, struck parts of the Philippines. Over 6,000 people died while 12 million people were displaced. As the year passed, it seems that things for most people in Tacloban City, Leyte and certain parts of Northern Cebu improved but not much has changed.
People seem to still be living in the destroyed houses left by the raging storm, others are still living in tents and make shift houses in some parts of Leyte and Tacloban. Despite rehabilitation efforts, it is still visible that the people in the hard hit areas are still suffering from hunger and are getting weaker. The United Nations assistant secretary general and UN U.N. Development Program Asia-Pacific director, Haoliang Xu have suggested to allow the victims to help out in the rehabilitation process for them to provide effectiveness and accountability in a report from devex.
Survivors have attempted to regain their lives back, while others are suffering from the guilt as to why they have been left behind when all the rest of their family has been taken away by the ravaging seas during the typhoon. Revisiting how families have been a year after the tragedy is both bitter sweet. The story of Houssam Hammoudi, a Canadian national who flew all the way to the Philippines days after the storm to look for the love of his life Mary Grace Acojeda in the storm affected area in Leyte has melted the hearts of many. A year later since the typhoon that brought the two starcrossed lovers together has passed and the two are happily married and are both living in Canada since February of this year.
While people try to rebuild houses, get back to their lives, Evelyn Facturanan is not willing to do either as she has lost 30 of her family members including her mother, husband, children and relatives. At 50, it was a bitter thought to remember what transpired last year. Her husband saved her by helping her get to the rooftop and coming back down to save her mother. As soon as her husband went down, the storm surge happened and the waters rushed and swept everyone on the streets and in the house.
These are just some of the stories that was left behind by Haiyan, other people who have lost their loved ones have left Tacloban and Leyte. Some of them have started living with other relatives and family members in Cebu and neighboring areas. Six to 10 family members still live inside tents while other families have started living in the ships that has been on the streets of Tacloban. Some stories and photos can be really painful considering that some families have not been given the help needed after a year.
