Never to be forgotten
TACLOBAN CITY — As with past commemorations of the devastation caused by Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (international name:Haiyan), Romil Navidad faithfully visits the grave of his daughter, Rimel, who was among the 2,200 individuals interred at the mass grave in Barangay Basper, this city.
On Friday, Nov. 8, marking the 11th year since Yolanda leveled Tacloban, the 49-year-old father continued to grieve for the loss of his only child, who was 10 years old at that time.
“She was with her mother when they clung desperately to a coconut tree as the storm surge hit,” Navidad recalled. “The surge tore them apart. My wife survived, but our daughter did not.”
At the time of the tragedy, the family lived in Sitio Alimasag, Barangay 88, in the San Jose district—the hardest-hit area in Tacloban.
Navidad expressed guilt over not being able to save his daughter, though he managed to rescue a pregnant woman from drowning.
“But I have learned to accept my fate,” he said, standing solemnly at Rimel’s grave with a lit candle and a bottle of soft drink, a traditional offering.
Today, Navidad lives alone in a housing project built by a private organization. His wife left him in 2019, adding another layer of heartache to his story.
During the commemoration, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, along with relatives of the victims, government officials, and local residents, gathered to honor those who perished.
“Some ask if we will still commemorate this tragedy 15 or 20 years from now. My answer is yes,” Romualdez declared. “We do this to ensure that future generations never forget the lessons of Yolanda.”
Romualdez emphasized that these lessons are even more relevant today, as the country faces increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters, particularly typhoons.
“Our focus must be on preparedness,” he said. “When we’re ready for stronger and deadlier storms, we can help the government save on rescue and rehabilitation costs.”
The mayor also urged people to heed warnings about living in danger zones prone to flooding or landslides.
Just last month, the Philippines endured successive severe typhoons, Leon and Kristine, which caused over P11 billion in damage and claimed 150 lives as of Nov. 1. Both typhoons spared Eastern Visayas.
Other local government units in Eastern Visayas, including Palo and Tanauan in Leyte and Guiuan in Eastern Samar, held their own commemorative programs.
Even Maasin City in Southern Leyte, which was spared from Yolanda’s wrath, suspended classes to honor the victims of the massive disaster.
JOEY A. GABIETA
