9 yrs since Yolanda, PHL reliving its lessons
NINE years after Super Typhoon Yolanda this Tuesday, November 8, Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said the lessons learned from this tragedy continue to guide the country’s response to calamities and highlight the Filipinos capacity to help one another during times of crises.
“As we commemorate the ninth anniversary of Yolanda that battered the country, most especially Eastern Visayas, we honor and offer prayers to those who perished during this unfortunate event, as we raise our glasses to the brave souls, our first responders, who put the lives of others above their own during the onslaught of the super typhoon,” Romualdez said in a statement on Monday.
“This resilience is borne in part by the sacrifices of our first responders, our unity in the face of adversity, and our propensity for compassion toward our fellow citizens in times of calamities,” Romualdez added.
Yolanda, dubbed a Category 5 typhoon and is one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded, leveled most of whatever structure was standing in Eastern Visayas in 2013. Romualdez, who represents Leyte, is from Tacloban, which has been hit hard by Yolanda.
“While it is very difficult to forget the horrors we faced during Yolanda, the important thing is we learned from this harrowing experience. And if we learned from this tragedy, we continue to honor those who perished and those who willingly sacrificed their lives for the benefit of others,” the Speaker said.
“We have recovered fully from Yolanda, and this is a testament to the Filipinos’ resiliency. Whatever calamity we will face—and surely there will be in the future—we can overcome because of this resiliency and our sincere compassion toward our fellow Filipinos,” Romualdez said.
The House of Representatives recently raised over P75 million in cash and in-kind donations both from lawmakers and private donors for families affected by the recent Typhoon Paeng.
“But the real heroes behind our recovery from every calamity are really our first responders and rescue workers. They are the ones who risk their lives to save others. They are the true heart and soul of our resilience,” Romualdez added, partly in Filipino.
The House also recently honored five rescue workers who all died in the performance of their sworn duties.
Narciso Calayag Jr., Jerson Resurreccion, Marby Bartolome, George Agustin, and Troy Justin Agustin, all perished while saving others during the onslaught of super typhoon “Karding” in Bulacan.
“They—our first responders and rescue workers—do not only put their lives on the line during calamities, but they also greatly help in the recovery and rehabilitation of calamity-affected areas. They are our unsung heroes and they all deserve all the recognition,” the Speaker said.