Barangay Andap, New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province: Of the 15 elementary classrooms, only one was left as the rest were destroyed by flashfloods triggered by Typhoon “Pablo” last December. Since January, elementary classes have been relocated inside the high school compound.
Hundreds of people — including survivors and relatives of those who perished — gathered 40 days since super typhoon Pablo hit on December 4, 2012. A mass was offered for the victims on January 13 at the San Antonio de Padua Parish as well as at the San Roque Chapel in Brgy Andap.
While a ritual was also held at Brgy Andap, particularly at the former barangay center site, which is now covered with rocks and boulders due to a flashflood spawned by typhoon Pablo.
A month after super typhoon Pablo devastated New Bataan town in Compostela Valley province, survivors are slowly picking up the pieces to rebuild their lives.
Typhoon Pablo devastated almost half of the Mindanao island on December 4, leaving at least 900 people dead and almost a thousand others missing. This is perhaps the worst natural disaster that hit the supposed “typhoon-free” region. The storm left thousands of people homeless and in dire need of food, water, medicine and shelter.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/14 December)– “Miracle ang nangyari sa akin (What happened to me was a miracle),” Second Lieutenant Jose Enrico Nuas said of his harrowing experience while Typhoon Pablo battered them last week.
In fact, “God” was the only word that the junior officer recalled uttering that time while struggling to resurface from the raging waters in Barangay Andap, New Bataan in Compostela Valley province, one of the hardest hit areas of the typhoon.
Recuperating from various wounds at a military hospital here, the 26-year old officer recalled his tormenting experience after they were washed away by flashflood on December 4. Read More »
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/15 January) – We were prepared to ride the habal-habal once again on Saturday. This time, Toto Lozano will go with me and Ruby will shoot for mining-related issues in Pantukan.
Bibo was already waiting for us near the town hall when we arrived. It was 9:30 a.m.
For an out-of-town coverage like this one, it is important to maintain one driver, especially so because this is not an easy drive to the site. It is important to entrust your safety to someone experienced. Habal-habal drivers also serve as your local guide as almost everyone in the village knows them, and vice versa. Read More »
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/14 January) — On our second day of coverage of the landslide in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, we decided to take the Tibagon route because it was still 9:30a.m. Besides, the weather looked fine that Friday, January 6, 2012.
The chopper was on standby in case there would be survivors in the landslide. Or it could be used to transport the cadavers if the weather permitted. But I really had doubts because based on our experience last year in Sitio Panganason, the nearest landing zone was at least three kilometers away.
We asked around if the chopper would really insert additional rescue volunteers or additional soldiers to secure the area, but no one could answer us. Everyone was busy. Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo was coming, and everyone was busy preparing reports or presentations. So we decided to take Tibagon Route so that we don’t have to hike back and forth from the site to Sitio Haguimit. Besides, muscle pain in our legs would slow us down. Read More »
View Napnapan Landslide in a larger map
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/12 January) – Ruby and I were supposed to finish editing the photos we took on the aftermath of Tropical Storm Sendong Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan cities when I heard on radio that another tragedy occurred in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, a gold rush site. I haven’t unloaded some of the things in my backpack after the trip to the disaster-stricken cities, nor drained the water in my bladder pack. The headlamp and some camera accessories were still inside the bag too.
The first report said six persons were already confirmed dead while some were reported missing. A few minutes later, the military reported that 16 bodies had been pulled out from the mud and rubble.
I asked Carol if we could go with Gigi. She said, go ahead.
Although I had no idea where exactly the landslide site is, I knew it would be a long uphill ride because I heard about the gold rush sites, sitios Diat 1 and Diat 2, last year when we covered the landslide in Sitio Panganason in neighboring barangay Kingking. Sitios Diat 1 and 2 are in Napnapan. Read More »
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/10 January) – Convinced that chances of survival six days after the tragedy are slim, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) of Pantukan in Compostela Valley has shifted work from rescue to retrieval operations in the landslide site that occurred at Sitio Diat 1 in Barangay Napnapan that left 36 persons killed and 36 others missing.
The number of missing people dropped from 42 on Monday to 36 today as four of those in the list were later traced to be alive who had gone home before the incident happened, while two other casualties were already identified by their relatives. Read More »
