Weeks after Ruby E. Samar's town still in misery

CEBU, Philippines -  A couple of weeks after typhoon Ruby struck Eastern Samar, some residents in at least four barangays of the town of Dolores are still living in forlorn huts, with nipa shingles as their flooring that overlaid the soil.

Their houses were swept away by floods from Ruby, prompting them to build their shanties out of nipa and materials recovered from the debris around them.

Close to 1,000 families in Barangays Malaintos, Dapdap, Malobago and Hilabaan are in this situation until today.

Dapdap is about two kilometers from the town proper, Malaintos is just along the national highway, and Hilabaan is an island-barangay where 80 percent of the houses were destroyed by Ruby.

Although relief goods arrived to these barangays, from international non-government organizations, there have been no building materials given by the national and local governments.

Barangay officials said they have been inutile and helpless to deal with the situation and they have no other option but to wait for the time the assistance from the government will come.

Power has yet to be restored in the town, and some well-off residents had to resort to using generator sets to light their houses.

Personnel of the Leyte Electric Cooperatives 2 and 4 from Leyte province went to Eastern Samar to help in bringing back electricity to the area.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla promised to restore power in Eastern Visayas before December 24.  (FREEMAN)