Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Rendezvous With Frank

It was Friday evening. As I listened to “Parke De Libertad” at RGMA–DYRU, a certain Lilia of PAGASA, Roxas City informed the DYRU audience that Frank, the typhoon was in Samar and was blowing toward the direction of the Bicol region. Typhoon Signal No. I was raised in Aklan.

However, Lilia warned that Frank might change its course. She called the attention of the Aklan Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council and forewarned them of the impending disaster through radio station DYRU in the course of her interview about the typhoon.

Lilia was prophetic for at 11:00 o’clock in the evening of Friday, PAGASA, Quezon City hoisted Typhoon Signal No. III over Aklan. The typhoon changed its path, turned to Aklan instead of visiting the Bicol Region. But only very few Aklanons heard of the midnight announcement.

The Aklanons woke up with Frank, devastating people and properties, with its 140–170 kms. per hour wind speed, whirlwind, floods with mud. It was my first time in my whole life to experience catastrophe Frank brought. The wind whistled a frightening sound, the wind was curling that ruffled trees, broke most and toprootted more; Frank rendered more families homeless by either totally or partially damaging their houses.

It started raining on Friday, June 20 and continued the next day, Saturday. Flood water suddenly came in the afternoon of Saturday. It rose to a depth of five feet in Badio portion of Poblacion – Albasan, Numancia road. In my mixed orchard, it was six feet deep.

The flood waters carried with it huge amount of mud from the mountains of Libacao. The mud was left and transformed Poblacion, Kalibo into instant rice farm. A portion of the mud was also deposited in some Barangays of Numancia like Brgy. Bulwang. It will take more time and effort to clear Poblacion, Kalibo of mud.

Moreover, the flood destroyed several houses and other infrastructures that blocked its way. While it eroded soil, plants like trees and vegetables, flood also killed livestock and poultry along its way.

As of the latest count, typhoon Frank inflicted P2.035 billion damage to property. It killed 50 people, injured 424 persons, while eight are still missing. This casualty is purely typhoon related and does not include its after effect death.

Almost all the people of Aklan are victims of Typhoon Frank. They are directly and indirectly adversely affected by Frank. For businessmen, they suffered direct damages due to flood and business opportunities. While the typhoon was ravaging Aklan, Aklan was isolated from the rest of the world. There was no communication of any kind, no electricity, no radio.

Until today, only the Poblaciones are served with electricity, no bank services, no potable water, no e-mail, no national coverage for cellphones. Almost all drugstores are closed and grocery stores are closed except for a few.

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) came to help Kalibo clear of mud but progress of the work seems slow. MMDA came with its own equipment and men.

Relief Goods

Typhoon victims are discouraged, dead tired of clearing mud and debris. They were psychologically and physically injured. The typhoon was strong, harsh and painful.

Many stayed in the rooftop like in Bubog, Numancia at the height of the flood. Some stood erect with submerged body in neck deep water to have air and to survive. Others whose houses are beyond the reach of the flood water also painfully watched their personal properties in their yards floated and went with the flood. Others who tried to rescue their pet animals died with them in the flood.

However, typhoon Frank was not the end of the world. Assistance from other provinces and from abroad kept coming in. Cash and material assistance are coming. The provincial government of Aklan under Governor Carlito S. Marquez and municipal LGUs with their respective mayors provided relief goods to the typhoon victims that answered their immediate needs, even to partly relieve the victims of their pain.

Rice, canned foods, noodles, medicines, drinking waters, blankets and other materials were provided the typhoon victims. While relief operations are continuing perhaps, it is now time to start rehabilitation and recovery.

VIP’s Visit

To express their genuine concern for the welfare of the victims, Vice Pres. Noli de Castro visited the victims in Aklan. After coming from USA, GMA visited Aklan. The first was until the Kalibo Airport. Two days after, she came back and visited Brgy. Mobo, Kalibo which looked like an ocean at the height of the flood.

Sen. Mar Roxas was the first to visit and then he came again. Former Pres. Erap came also to Kalibo, Numancia and Ibajay. Sec. Arthur Yap of Agriculture came and axed his NFA Provincial Director of Aklan for his failure to control rice price. Sec. Cabral of DSWD and Sec. Gilbert Teodoro of Dept. of National Defense also visited the victims.

There are many other VIPs who visited Aklan. We will acknowledge them in the next issue. We will also acknowledge the donations, respective donors and its quantity or amount donated. /MP