February, 2014 would always remain in our memory every time something reminds us of Tacloban. A photograph, a report from the location, a call from a friend who stayed behind long after others had gone home. This is my home, we recalled Jessica Corpus telling us over and over again.
It is now July, five months after our visit, and eight months since the tragedy but the town is still devastated by the memory. Since then, donations with all types of food, drinks, tents as lodging, entertainment in the form of music and medicine had helped ease the pain as the less fortunate whiled the time away. We have kept in touch with Jessica, our roommate during those three unforgettable days when we would whisper important and less important observations in the dark of the night. Jessica is now in her fourth year of Arts and Sciences and she would text us greetings during Mother’s Day and we would ask her for updates on how she was.
On such a day when we hadn’t heard from her for a good number of weeks, we decided to text her. What was the situation? We wanted to know. Normal na ba? May tubig na ba at ilaw, at nagawa na ba ang lahat ng bahay? “Sa ngayon hindi pa gaanong normal. Marami pa ang nakatira sa tent. Mayroon pong tinatawag na Tent City ngayon sa may San Jose dahil nasa mga tent lang po sila. Mayroon naman pong kuryente at tubig,” Jessica quickly responded. We were eager to know what she was doing and what her future plans were. Again she answered, “Sa ngayon nag-aasikaso ng enrollment. Gusto ko pong makapagtapos ng pag-aaral at maging writer.” We were surprised, knowing that she was enrolled in Arts and Sciences. We wanted to dissuade her and tell her there was no money in writing.
Instead, we asked about the news of the family from Tacloban who had perished when their living quarters were burned down, and wondered if she knew them. We could feel her tightened up as she appeared to be keeping her emotions in check. “Nasunog po ’yung tent na tinutuluyan nila. ’Yung ina at anim na anak po ang namatay. Hindi po sila nakalabas ng tent…’yung ama po hindi nila kasama dahil nasa Samar siya nag-tatrabaho.” And yes, she knew them. What a double tragedy for the father, we thought. After the difficulty of starting a new life in rescuing his wife and children, finding a new job, now this? Life is not fair, indeed.
With regards to her studies, Jessica informed us she will be graduating in 2016 and that she divides her time between attending to her family and her schooling. We congratulated her for the birthday we had missed last June 22 when we were in Europe and promised a pasalubong.
On a last note, we asked Jessica what she has learned from the Tacloban tragedy and quickly she answered, “Natuto akong pahalagahan ang pamilya ko. Nalaman ko pong sadyang napakahalaga ng oras, at nagkaroon ako ng matinding pananampalataya sa Diyos.”
Still, we should remember that there are those out there doing their bit at continually helping the survivors of the Tacloban tragedy in the best way they can. In her column, Lea Salonga spoke of the performance she participated in at the Kennedy Center in Washington. Titled After the Storm, it was a concert for the benefit of Supertyphoon Yolanda survivors. “For me,” mused Lea, “it was a reminder that there are those who still need help. We cannot forget them, hence, this tap on the shoulder. Yes, other matters take up our collective thoughts — matters of personal, profession, political and societal importance. But still, we have brothers and sisters hoping they are remembered.”
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