Maybog, Baybay City, Leyte is one of the Barangays in Baybay City in the Province of Leyte an island province within Region VIII in the Eastern Visayas. Maybog is my beloved province, the place where I was born - grew up and the place close to my heart.
My province is one of the place that were hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan(Yolanda) in Leyte when it landfalls last November 8, 2013.
A week after with no communication with my family back home I finally had the chance to go home and check them. I was really saddened with what I saw in my beloved province. I felt like I was in another place, flattened homes, trees and other infrastructure, leaving people homeless and roofless including our house.
On my stay I asked my family and neighbors how it is feels likes during the day when Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hits on the ground. Everyone was telling me the same stories, they were terrified and thought it was the dooms day of the world. Some were hopeless especially the less fortunate ones who don’t know where to get funds to rebuild their homes and the ones waiting for the relief goods and helps from the government to come.
I can’t help felt sorry for them, if only I was rich I could have help them, since most of them were my relatives. I then have the monetary means to help them but I did share the foods I have brought for my family. It may not be enough to last for a week but it is enough to survive for a day and for them it’s a big help already.
It really broke my heart to find out, that they then get enough relief goods from the local government. Knowing that our Philippine Government did receives billions of money from other countries. Where it is now? For the last six days I was in my province they only had 3 times relief goods operation from the local government which includes 2-kilos of rice, a few can goods, noodles and coffee in sachet. Upon hearing from my neighbors, Baybay City Mayor did not declare the province in State of Calamity which I don’t know why and I’m still finding out if that is true or not.
Went home last November 16, 2013 and get back in Manila last November 22, 2013. Still no means of electricity in my province people get to recharge their phones and rechargeable flashlights to the municipal town of Baybay, Leyte or their neighboring Barangays with generators.
Hoping and praying that my barrio in Maybog Baybay City Leyte could get more help from the local government.
On my stay I asked my family and neighbors how it is feels likes during the day when Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hits on the ground. Everyone was telling me the same stories, they were terrified and thought it was the dooms day of the world. Some were hopeless especially the less fortunate ones who don’t know where to get funds to rebuild their homes and the ones waiting for the relief goods and helps from the government to come.
I can’t help felt sorry for them, if only I was rich I could have help them, since most of them were my relatives. I then have the monetary means to help them but I did share the foods I have brought for my family. It may not be enough to last for a week but it is enough to survive for a day and for them it’s a big help already.
It really broke my heart to find out, that they then get enough relief goods from the local government. Knowing that our Philippine Government did receives billions of money from other countries. Where it is now? For the last six days I was in my province they only had 3 times relief goods operation from the local government which includes 2-kilos of rice, a few can goods, noodles and coffee in sachet. Upon hearing from my neighbors, Baybay City Mayor did not declare the province in State of Calamity which I don’t know why and I’m still finding out if that is true or not.
Went home last November 16, 2013 and get back in Manila last November 22, 2013. Still no means of electricity in my province people get to recharge their phones and rechargeable flashlights to the municipal town of Baybay, Leyte or their neighboring Barangays with generators.
Hoping and praying that my barrio in Maybog Baybay City Leyte could get more help from the local government.
 |
| Maybog, Baybay City, Leyte Gym |
 |
| Maybog Pentecost Church, infrastructure ruin only the chair left |
 |
| Maybog road before clean up. Photos credit to Jaimilo Cabudbud |
 |
| Maybog road before clean up. Photos credit to Jaimilo Cabudbud |
 |
| A concrete house hit by Tornado. |
 |
| House flattened by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) and Trees. |
 |
| Roofless house. |
 |
| Roofless house. |
 |
| Roofless house. |
 |
| Originally in the middle there once a house. Washout from storm surge. |
 |
| Flattened house from Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) |
On my second day in Maybog I saw one remarkable sign that made me so happy and thankful that I saw it… the RAINBOW.
A rainbow for me symbolizes peace or a new beginning. It is also a sign of good luck and fortune is on its way. I believe that my province in Leyte would regain its life once again no means of Typhoon can defeat us Leyteños…Us Filipinos.
It may seem hard for now but I know tomorrow everything will be okay. For God let things happened for a reason and eventually turns out to be the best.
As the book of Genesis 9:16 (NIV) remind us that “Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
It may seem hard for now but I know tomorrow everything will be okay. For God let things happened for a reason and eventually turns out to be the best.
As the book of Genesis 9:16 (NIV) remind us that “Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
A very long time ago, God could find only one honorable person, Noah. So God asked him to build a large boat and to load it with his family and pairs of every kind of bird and animal on earth. Then God sent rain for forty days and nights until the earth was covered with water in a great flood, and all the people and animals outside drowned - even the birds.
After the water dried up, Noah builds an altar and worshiped God, and God spoke to Noah and his sons. God promised that the earth and everything living on it would never again be destroyed by a flood.
Rainbows appear after mighty storms, when things look their worst. Just when the sky is darkest, out of heaven a rainbow appears. God first sent the rainbow to Noah, as a sign that his word is true. We see this story as evidence one more time of the grace and goodness of a God who makes solemn promises. And God gave us something to remind us of that solemn promise.
I carried on feeling much lighter and realizing that life is really beautiful after all in spite what happened. It all depends on our outlook and how we shape it up to make things better for ourselves and the people around us.
The rainbow had made my day. I realized the best thing about rainbows is that you see one when you are least expecting it.
The rainbow had made my day. I realized the best thing about rainbows is that you see one when you are least expecting it.
Whenever it rains and the sun shines, I hope to see this beautiful band of colors in the sky, and the sight of one never fails to cheer me up. :)
Do you know what each color in the rainbow means? I found something that explains it:
Red represents the blood Jesus shed for us.
Yellow is for God’s perfect light, the sun so bright.
Orange is coming from night into life with thru Jesus.
Green reminds us that God created the earth and trees. Like the grass in spring, it represents the new life we have in Jesus.
Blue represents the color of water. God created the oceans & seas, this meminds us of the baptism that identifies us with Jesus.
Black represents our sins and God’s darkest day.
Purple is for Jesus’ hours of sorrow, so we can gain the crown of life.
Pink is for our new tomorrows.
White represents God’s purity and the cleansing of our sins thru God’s grace.
"No matter how bad things may seem there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. Thank you GOD!"
Related Blog Entry:
Super Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, which devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, on November 8, 2013. It is the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record, killing at least 6,300 people in that country alone. Haiyan is also the strongest storm recorded at landfall, and unofficially the strongest typhoon ever recorded in terms of wind speed.-Wikipedia
