"Into this house we’re born Into this world we’re thrown... Riders on the Storm"
The Pacific Ocean gave birth to Typhoon Haiyan on Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 as a low pressure area in the Pacific slowly gathering strength as it is headed on a collision course for the Philippines. The Filipinos are no strangers to typhoons, but nothing like Haiyan has passed through here before. Kimdy, is a very pregnant and young fifteen years old. “At the time, I didn’t worried about that typhoon, because i thought its not coming through. I forgot when did i first find out about the typhoon, but i think before Margu was born. On November 7th, I had more urgent matters to worry about. I was at a Birthing Center …”
Kimdy lives in Bogo. Bogo is located in the northeastern coast of Cebu province, on the principal island of Cebu. The island of Leyte to the east, shelters Cebu from the open waters of the South Pacific.
On November the 7th, the day before Haiyan makes landfall in the Philippines, Kimdy goes into labor. Kimdy goes to a birthing center staffed by midwifes. “the Midwife is a Lady , shes very fat , she has 5 kids already , shes a nice and good midwife.” Birthing centers are the cheap alternative to hospitals. “Birthing Center is separated from the hospital , of course we need to pay in the Birthing Center after we got delivered the baby , we pay before 5000, its not near to the hospital.” An obstetrician typically remains on call should complications arise.
With Haiyan bearing down on the islands, Kimdy and her family are focused on the delivery. “My mom , my dad , my sisterz and brotherz are there when im delivering margu. There setting outside waiting for me to get delivered the baby. My delivery is fine and thanks god its a normal delivery, and im happy because i did it. Yes, Margu was born Nov.7, 2013 before the typhoon Haiyan was come. She weigh six pounds, shes really small and cute like her mom.” (NOTE: The last comment about being cute like her mom is the opinion of the mom). “My whole family was there when im delivering Margu , and happy because they supports me there in the Birthing center, they did not leave me there. I had a natural birth without the need for a CS. I’m thankful and super bless, because if its not natural birth, im scared to be CS and no money to pay for the hospital bill”
Needless to say, Kimdy does not have health insurance to cover any of the expenses should anything go wrong. Usually, after a baby is born, the mother and baby will stay in the birthing center. The medical staff will screen the baby for health. “When you delivered a baby, you need to stay at the Birthing Center for 24 hours, before you can go home.” Haiyan had other plans for her new family. “Her health that time i dont know if shes fine or not, because she did not try to New born screening, because of that typhoon haiyan, new born screening is really important because it will see if the baby is sick or not.” Only her mom stays with Kimdy and Margu during the screening time.
On November the 8th, Haiyan hits the Philippines hitting the islands at peak strength. Weather observatories report sustained winds of 180 mph at landfall with peak winds to 195 mph, making it the strongest tropical cyclone on record at that time. Words typically used to describe the cyclone are super typhoon, most powerful cyclone on record, monster storm, and perfect storm. Haiyan makes landfall at 5 in the morning on the island of Leyte accompanied by a twenty foot storm surge that rolls through Taclaban, the capital of Leyte, taking thousands of lives.
Five hours later, Bogo takes a direct hit, enduring the full intensity of Haiyan’s winds but the island of Leyte protects Cebu from the devastating storm surge. Kimdy recalls “But sad to say the typhoon comes after Margu was born and thats November 08,2013, i already that time early in the morning because the wind and the rain is really heavy, and until the 10:00 am comes, thats the time that its really worst rain and wind, and we cannot see the outside because of the fogs, and the midwife is already worried that time because the roof is pulling out, and we decided to transfer to the delivery room.”
Fifteen year old Kimdy, her child of less than a day, her mom and the midwife scramble seeking a safer shelter in the midst of the deluge and apocalyptic winds. With the hospital tearing apart, the midwife takes the family to her house. “Then the midwife decided again to transfer to her moms house because its concrete and not easy to push away from the wind, so we run to go out at that birthing center, we dont know what to do but just run, we’re scared because of the flying roof, and we cannot see the road. My mom carry Margu and run also and we dont know that theres a hole on the road my mom was fall down and also the midwife, and Margu was fall down as well. I’m worried because i thought Margu is died already, because she fall down at the water. When my mom get her, thanks god shes alive and crying, im very happy that shes strong enough to live in this world, we run until we came at the midwifes mom’s house. I dont know that time whats happening to the other people, because you cannot see anything because of the fogs and you cannot go out because of the strong Typhoon Haiyan. When we transfer already were all crying already and praying that lord please guide us, were just crying and crying.”
The family waits out the storm in the concrete home which endures the winds of the typhoon. “Margu was sleeping on the bed, like she dont know whats happening. The Typhoon Haiyan was passed away around 5:00 pm in the afternoon, and when we see the light already, and no rain, where very happy and feeling safe that thanks god were safe and still alive, and living in this world.” The rest of her family rejoins with them. “When the storm passed away my dad and brother is coming in the midwifes moms house to check if were fine or ok. He went to Birthing Center but where not there, so he found out where we transfer. So when we see my dad, and we call him. But sad to say as well, our house was wash away from the typhoon Haiyan on that time.”
The family has to find a place to stay. “Then that time we dont have yet house to stay, so my mom has a friend, and my mom ask permission if its ok for us to stay there for the mean time, and thanks god. My moms friend allow us to stay there. When go home around 6:00pm and outside is very dark no ligh , no electricity and no water for us to drink.”
On November the 9th, according to Wikipedia, Typhoon Yolanda destroyed almost everything from infrastructure to agriculture, 90% left homeless and thirteen died in Bogo, among more than 6,000 fatalities in Central Philippines. City Hall was one of the structures damaged: its roof got ripped off, its windows broken and other parts of the building also affected and devastated. Kimdy remembers “When in morning we see the all Bogo that the houses is flush away by the typhoon, and the trees are falling down.”
First responders and emergency response teams arrive. “Many foreigns and israels come and give relief goods and water, so we thankful that we have food to eat, and we are thankful that there are some people that has a good heart helping us to recover about the Typhoon Hiayan.”
In the days that follow, American and Israeli relief teams came in soon after the hurricane passed. Kimdy says, “My family members went to the baranggay to get relief goods. We just go to our baranggay, and we fall in line and they give water and relief goods that came from the americans and Israel.” A barranggay is the native Filipino term for village. She continues “The foods that they give is like can goods, like Sardines, then they give Noodles and Pancit Canton, and 3 kilos of rice.” Pancit canton is a stir-fried dish composed of egg noodles, meat, poultry or seafood and a medley of vegetables, popular among the Filipinos. “The relief teams distribute water.”
Margu and Kimdy had many challenges in the weeks that follow. Kimdy reports “When she was a baby, she only drink my breastfeed for one week because she got phuemonia, because no electric for 2 months. And after she dont drink my breastfeed, so im worried already. Cant buy milk and diaper for margu. She tries to drink the water of the rice when it boils. I will get it and give to her to drink it. I’m crazy, i want to commit suicide because i dont know what to do.”
The relief effort did not provide clothes. “We have our own clothes to use , and they only give relief goods. And for diaper i will just use my shirts, and after i will wash it. And if its dry i will use it again for her.”
Two months later, in January, rescuers continue to discover bodies. For the most part though, over the next two months things return to normal. Kimdy is able to get food for Margu. “We buy the milk in the open store here in Bogo, She only drink milk before.” After two full months, basic infrastructure is restored. “Returns to normal, after 2 months when the water and electricity coming back already.”
Kimdy’s parents and their siblings sell the shared property they lived on before Haiyan. “The house was destroyed because of the typhoon Haiyan, thats why they decided to sell it. So that they can build there own house to sta , and so that they have there own lot. …then after my moms brothers and sisters decided to sell the Lot of my grandmother its 1500 sqm. They sale it to 7 million i think , or 6 million and they divided into 6, thats why my mom has her own house now and lot, she buy when she gets the money already from the lot that they sell.”
Margu is finally officially registered though she lacks the records for her shots and birth. “I dont have any shots for margu, yes its lost, because its wash away from the typhoon Haiyan. Yes, Margu has already a Live Birth, she was Registered late.” Margu, a child of Kimdy and survivor of the super typhoon Haiyan, is officially born on November 7th, 2013.