Photo Essay : Struggle amidst ruins in Leyte towns

Photos by Ace R. Morandante & Ken Bandayanon
Davao Today

LEYTE – Lives in the towns outside Tacloban, Leyte have not returned to normalcy, two weeks after Typhoon Yolanda ravaged the province.

: Father and sons, Brgy. Bislig, Tanauan, Leyte. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: Brgy. Bislig, Tanauan, Leyte. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: Drowned car in Bislig, Tanauan, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Brgy. Imelda, Tolosa, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Brgy. Imelda, Tolosa, Leyte. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: View from the top of the slide. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: Remains of an old house, Brgy. Imelda, Tolosa, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: This Santa Claus wonders what presents to give to survivors in Brgy. Imelda, Tolosa, Leyte. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: Brgy. Imelda, Tolosa, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Overview of Tolosa, Leyte, hometown of the Romualdez family. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Toppled house as shelter for a boy in Brgy. Olot, Tolosa, Leyte. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: A kid stand amidst fallen trees in Palo, Leyte. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: Uncollected in Palo, Leyte. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: A mass grave in front of the Church of Palo, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: 18 people died when this center caved in at Palo, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Palo, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Salvaged furniture. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: Watching the ruins. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

While relief and cleanup efforts had come to Tacloban, other towns and cities received minimal attention such as in Palo, Tanauan, Lapaz and Tolosa, this according to Balsa Mindanao which provided relief, psycho-social and medical services to these places recently.

Residents still struggle to rebuild homes from fallen wood and galvanized roofs, and finding food and clean water is so far and in between.

: Elderly looking at the ruins. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: Rebuilding. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Rebuilding at Barangay Imelda, Tolosa, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Brgy. Bislig, Tanauan, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Carrying a torn galvanized roof, Brgy. Imelda, Tolosa, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Cooking at a makeshift stove in Brgy. Imelda, Tolosa, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Cradle as a bed among the ruins, Bislig, Tanauan, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Brgy. Bislig, Tanauan, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Collecting things that can be salvaged. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

Survivors want immediate relief from government in the form of shelter houses to protect children from the elements. But with nearly 1,149,529 houses damaged and 48,655 families homeless, aid needs to come soon.

: Owner and dog feasting, as children wait for food. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: Empty stove at Romualdez Elementary School, Tolosa, Leyte. (contributed photo by Ken Bandayanon)

: Family cooking in Romualdez Elementary School. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Saving a broken piano. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Resident in Brgy. San Victoray, Lapaz, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Image of the Virgin Mary and a beheaded St. Peter. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Even Batman calls for help in Brgy. Bislig, Tanauan, Leyte. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

: Residents in Tolosa could only imagine watching the match of boxing hero Manny Pacquiao. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)

There are still many needs for the survivors, from medicines, water, shelter kits and tools and clothes, as national and international aid groups have flocked to Eastern Visayas. It’s a question of time and resolve from government to get things done in the shortest time.