MANILA (Agencies): Typhoon Vamco (known locally as Ulysses) ploughed into the Philippines on November 12, forcing at least 180,000 people from their homes, less than two weeks after Super Typhoon Goni (Rolly) barreled through the country (Sunday Examiner, November 15)
The Inquirer reported at least 67 dead, while CNN reported 12 missing as of November 17.
The capital, Manila, was struck hard and the storm brought floods to many areas, especially in the Marikina City area of the capital where water levels in the Marikina River rose to almost 22 metres—the highest since Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) left 671 dead in 2009.
The provinces or Cagayan, Isabela, and the regions of Calabarzon, Bicol and the Cordillera Administrative Region were also hit hard.
The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in the Philippines appealed for support for victims of Vamco’s onslaught, which saw many residents in Marikina City take refuge on the rooftops of their homes to await rescue, UCAN reported.
One resident whose house was submerged by flooding posted a picture of her family on their rooftop crying for help in a social media plea to be rescued.
“Badly need help! Need to rescue my family in Provident Village (in Marikina City). Our second floor is neck-high already and my 86-year-old grandmother is here,” resident Anne Celeste said in the post.
Marikina City mayor, Marcelino Teodoro, also issued an appeal for help.
“Local authorities in Marikina City cannot conduct rescue efforts alone. Given the weather, we need air support. People are on their rooftops waiting to be rescued,” Teodoro told reporters.
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He said many buildings had been submerged and that Marikina City required aid from the national government.
“We are overwhelmed by the amount of need and rescue operations to be conducted … The water current on the main roads was just too strong for rescue boats. Our city hall, where we stock our resources and supplied, is also flooded,” Teodoro added.
“When a government does not have a housing programme which forces families including children—a lot of children—to live in such circumstances, then this society is abusing people’s resilience.”
Vincentian Father Dani Pilario said urgent help was needed for illegal settlers living in shanties under bridges who were highly vulnerable to flooding from the Marikina River which rose by a metre in less than three hours, UCAN reported.
The flooding was made worse by full dams releasing water or overflowing, creating strong currents, he said in a social media post, even as he brought aid to the stricken.
Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, said on November 12 that he had ordered government agencies to mobilise and provide aid to victims.
“Rest assured, the government will not leave anybody behind,” Duterte said on national television.
For some, help did not come fast enough. One resident, Geraldine Datiles, said in a radio interview, “We waited, trapped for almost four hours. We could not swim because the current was so strong. All we could do was to hold on to our roof and pray that someone would come for us.”
Father Pilario said, “When a government does not have a housing programme which forces families including children—a lot of children—to live in such circumstances, then this society is abusing people’s resilience.”
The priest questioned how a government could not provide shelter to such a big slice of society and show more care for its people, especially during natural disasters.
“If (a government) only cares for itself, for its own survival in power, then the people, whom it promised to serve with all the resources at its disposal, are left to survive (or die) on their own. We should call for accountability. Enough is enough,” he said.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the impact of the storm in central Luzon is particularly damaging because it is hitting the same 1.6 million people affected by Super Typhoon Goni, CNN reported.
Vatican News reported Pope Francis as saying, “I express my solidarity with the poorest families who are also the most vulnerable to this calamity,” as he remembered the people of the Philippines after his Angelus prayer on November 15.
The pope offered his support to all those who are working to help them.
Caritas Philippines also appealed to the government to seek international aid to help the victims.
