While coastal towns in Davao Oriental, Surigao del Sur and Compostela Valley suffered the most in terms of human casualties and damage to public and private properties, Bohol which was also in the path of the super typhoon, accounted its share of destruction albeit in smaller scale. While the Post was egging authorities of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council to provide the paper with its damage report, the same was not available as of press time last night. The council said it is still in the process of consolidating a detailed damage report.  But there’s no mistaking that Bohol suffered destruction amounting to millions of pesos in private properties wrought by the fury of super-typhoon Pablo on Dec. 4. One fatality was reported while hundreds were evacuated in Loay, Calape, Jagna and Dauis. Super typhoon Pablo considered as category five slammed into the southern part of the province in the afternoon of December 4 packing strong winds that generated big waves that capsized four fishing vessels in barangay Mayacabac in Dauis. The four boats were owned by Sofronio Guillena of Catarman and Alex Canada of Montana, Baclayon.

The fishing boats sought sanctuary near the shoreline of Mayacabac thinking that they would be protected from the fury of the typhoon that emanated in the direction of the usual monsoon path. It turned out that the strong winds came from the opposite direction making the vessels virtual sitting ducks of the storm’s lashing winds. With only the nets saved as a result, the boats hulls were total wrecks along with their fish finders and sonars. The boats’ engines were also soaked in seawater and it is doubtful if it can be overhauled and turned into running condition again.  The provincial government declared Tuesday of last week as no work-day while all classes of all levels in public and private levels were suspended following the hoisting of storm number three for the province and other provinces. All flights and sea travel were cancelled that stranded hundreds of passengers and tourists at the city airport and pier terminals in the port towns of Jagna, Tubigon, Getafe, Talibon, Ubay and Tagbilaran City. School classes and government offices resumed the following day as the sun rises and howling winds hitting other areas outside its projected trajectory.

 FATALITY

A certain Joshua Tesoro, 2 years and five months old, was believed drowned that caused his death at the height of the typhoon on Dec. 4, said his grandfather identified as Jimmy Tesoro in an exclusive interview.  The grandfather did not know the circumstances why his grandson drowned after he fell into the seawater from a bamboo-made alley as passage across to their house built of makeshift materials adjacent to the row of Badjao dwellings at purok 3, Barangay Totolan, Dauis town.  The death of the boy was confirmed by Dauis Mayor Jimmy Jimenez in separate interview. The grandfather said the boy was not of Badjao descent as earlier reported and neither that he has Badjao blood. His brother is married to a Badjao.  In separate interview, Badjao chieftain Mario Coham, who is considered here as “Nakura” or “Imam” in their tribe, expressed relief that no one among members of the tribe numbering about 500 suffered casualties. Only their dwellings suffered slight damages since they are residing near the seashore of barangay Totolan.

 EVECAUATION

Hundreds of the Badjaos population in Dauis sought refuge at the Totolan Elementary School Tuesday night due to rising seawaters earlier feared to wash out their dwellings near the sea, said Dulce Alforque, municipal local government operations officer of the DILG in an interview.  In separate interview, school principal Ms. Saturnina Cerio Arcamo of this school and Mario Coham confirmed that indeed the Badjaos were evacuated for their own safety. She said that Mayor Jimenez ordered the social welfare worker to provide them with canned goods and foodstuff until the next morning they’re back to their residences.  Some 100 persons including children mostly residing the causeway connecting this city to Dauis town were also ordered evacuated to the covered court of barangay Bo-ol, Tagbilaran city, said barangay captain Dodo Mendez.

The evacuees were provided with food provisions by the barangay and city government, he said.  In Calape, some 200 inhabitants of the islet of Mantatao, a no-vegetation “way dahon” sandbar, off this town, were evacuated to the town’s gymnasium, Mayor Junie Yu was reported. This prompted Gov. Edgar Chatto to visit the evacuees and see for himself the situation and ordered social workers to provide them with food stuff and other immediate needs. The following day the internally displaced persons (IDPs) went back home safely.  In port town of Jagna, some 50 families or some 232 IDPs residents of coastal barangays were evacuated to safer grounds, said Mayor Fortunato Abrenilla in an interview. There were 26 families from Barangay Cantagay; Barangay Looc, 48 persons; and Pagina, 46 persons, he said, adding that no casualty was recorded.  Earlier, some eight to ten families and their properties and farms of coastal Barangay Bunga Mar and Can-upao were brought down literally by a powerful twister or tornado.

RESCUED

Johnny Obispo, former chairman of Dauis town Municipal Fishery and Agriculture Council bared in an exclusive interview that four fishermen whom he did not identify were drifted from the town of Loon, about 30 kms from here. Their two motorized boats capsized, one sunk while other boats were destroyed due to big waves while fishing on the night of Dec. 3. They’re all safe and went home after selling their catch for bus fare, he said.  In Ubay town, three fishermen were safe after their fishing boats were damaged by waves while fishing off the seawaters off this town.  In a separate interview, Bernade Miculob of Dauis town said he and his brother Pedro Miculob lost two of their motorized fishing boats with a combined amounts of P300,000 including the fishing nets that they’re trying to salvage for use. Eight of his crew were saved and safe after deciding to abandon the boat as the big waves battered them while trying to take shelter of the towns shorelines.

An ocular visit of the shoreline showed Miculob trying to salvage what was left of his boat and its engine. His co-workers tried to recover the fishing nets ravaged by the debris. He said he needed assistance and exploring the idea of approaching the government for help of his plight. But he expressed relief that no one from his crew of eight was wounded or died.  Meanwhile, the fishing fleet that lies in ruin in the Mayacabac shoreline were identified as the F/Bs Asuncion 9, Asuncion 5 and another out-triggered fishing boat owned by Guillena of barangay Catarman. A police report said that the boats were “being secured” in seawaters near the coastline of barangay Mayacabac. All their crew were saved after abandoning the sinking vessels. Damage to all four fishing vessels was placed at P15 million.  The fishing boat christened F/B San Vicente 5 owned by Alex Canada was also at total wreck with only the fishing net believed to be salvageable.

TYPHOON AFTERMATH

Meanwhile, the past week spelled not much difference for Gov. Edgar M. Chatto even with what Typhoon Pablo left in aftermath after his destructive stint in wrecking havoc in the country. As always, the governor’s busy schedule “forever” involves visiting towns making sure that Boholanos are safe and living well. The day after the typhoon, Gov. Chatto plunged right into the midst of action and felt no qualms in personally leading relief operations for evacuees in several towns despite his own discomfort due to bouts of on-and-of fever, sore throat and fatigue which resulted from his non-stop monitoring of Typhoon Pablo’s devastating progress throughout the country which left hundreds dead and thousands homeless. Those who were affected were given rice packs with canned goods and noodles and Chatto roamed around Bohol to check possible damages to infrastructure, agriculture, livelihood and even for possible loss of lives. In Calape Gym where 200 families from Mantatao Island were evacuated, Gov. Chatto personally distributed relief goods with Mayor Junie Yu, Vice-Mayor Nelson Yu, Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Members, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer-in-Charge Mita Tecson, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Provincial Chief Papiasa Bustrillos and Calape MSWD Office.

The family beneficiaries’ faces could not be painted as apparent bliss lifted their spirits for the governor’s concern and dedication, especially in their moments of “sadness.” Chatto further ordered DSWD Provincial staff to see to it that residents of other towns who were affected by Pablo be given the much-needed assistance they deserve for still it would take several days for these people to go back to their normal lives due to the calamity they have endured. Gov. Chatto, as always, is inspiring Boholanos by urging the people to “go back to work and aim for higher productivity in the farmlands, business offices, service agencies or in any other work they are engaged in that contributes to the development of Bohol.” Sure now that the people are back on track, Gov. Chatto fervently thanked God for again sparing Bohol from the wrath of a strong typhoon that resulted in two deaths and heavy damages in several provinces. (jlv/EDCom)