THE ISLAND OF POO. Residents of this island in Bagangan town, Davao Oriental wish to remind politicians to help them because they still “exist.” (davaotoday.com photo by John Rizle L. Saligumba)
“We hope you would still care for us because we are just fisherfolks. To those of you who would win, please don’t stop considering us,” said Aning Lagbas, a village functionary in Isla Poo, part of Kinablangan village.
By JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA
Davao Today
BAGANGA, Davao Oriental, Philippines — Voters of a small island here anticipate their chosen candidates to win so that the latter would make a difference in their impoverished lives five months after Typhoon Pablo ravaged their fishing boats and homes.
“We hope you would still care for us because we are just fisherfolks. To those of you who would win, please don’t stop considering us,” said Aning Lagbas, a village functionary in Isla Poo, part of Kinablangan village.
The island is home to about 1,500 residents, 800 of them registered voters of the sub-villages of Bulalo, Starfish and Lima-lima.
Antonino Lobrio, a resident who was hired in a “cash-for-work” basis by a private organization said the island’s fishing community lost hundreds of fishing boats due to Typhoon Pablo. “Even 200 boats would not be enough for all of us here,” Lobrio said, adding that they have not received fishing boats or even nets from the provincial government.
In tears, Lobrio expressed his frustration with the town’s officials. “Katong nahitabo ningPablo, naa ba dayon nianhi nga opisyal dinhi? Susiha sa ninyo kung buhi pa mi,” Lobrio decried.
“The private organizations have been helping us and we also helped ourselves,” he said.
“Gusto lang namo ingnon nga naa pa mi,” added Lobrio.
“Wala man namo pangayoa to (Typhoon Pablo), pero kato nga pamaagi gyud namo nailhan ang mga tao diri sa lungsod sa Baganga. Kung kinsa ang mga maayong tawo. Nabuka ang among mga mata kung kinsa ang among botohan,” Lagbas said.
She assailed the rumors that they were declared “wiped-out” from the map.
“Those who would like to help us, we are still alive. We need food especially rice and our houses are not yet put-up, we only have tarpaulin roofings,” she lamented.
Threats
Village councilor Adella Samuya, meanwhile, heard rumors that they will be forced to vacate from the bunkhouses and the island itself if they will not vote for re-electionist Governor Corazon Malanyaon’s mayoralty candidate Arturo Monday.
“Those who did not help us will not have our vote,” Samuya said together with the agreeing nods and ayes of residents interviewed by Davao Today.
A woman said “bisan pag hulgaon mi, unsaon man tan-aw nila sa amoa dili mga intelihente nga mga botante? Magkamatay mi dinhi.”
Residents said they would not leave the island. “This is government property but if it comes to that, they must find us another home and livelihood,” Lobrio said.
Dodoy Mijares, also a resident of Lima-lima sub-village, said “I’ve heard that they will declare this island a no-build zone, but I appeal to them to let us live here; we are safe here.”
He called on the national government to help them rebuild their houses and give them livelihood.
Meanwhile, Jasmine Lao, a 27 year-old mother of one and a resident of Bulalo sub-village’s Muslim community, said they returned to the island only to vote. They evacuated to a covered court in Mati City after Typhoon Pablo struck the island.
Lao said she voted for candidates “who have helped us.” (John Rizle Saligumba/davaotoday.com)
baganga, davao oriental, DavOr, Election, typhoon Pablo
