The facade of the municipal evacuation site in Barangay Patagan, Maco in Davao de Oro. MindaNews photo by KYLENE FAITH ANDALES / UP Min intern
MACO, Davao de Oro (MindaNews / 04 July) – Surviving everyday life continues to be a major battle for the Aballe family months after the deadly landslide hit the mining village of Masara here. Sustaining the four-person household weighs heaviest on 41-year-old Mercy Aballe as they continue to live at the municipal evacuation site in Barangay Patagan.
For five months after the tragedy, the family decided to stay at the evacuation site for practical, if not their only, choice. But Mercy’s family is also looking forward to move to the resettlement site provided by the government for residents of the landslide-hit Barangay Masara, just like those who moved ahead of them.
Aside from the Aballe family, there are two other families that remained in the evacuation site.
The evacuation center was nothing but an empty building made of concrete, just enough to put a roof above their heads. But even if that is the case, the Aballe family is grateful enough to have a place they could temporarily call “home.”
Despite of it all, they try to maintain a semblance of normalcy by focusing on day-to-day survival. Her son Lowenmark, 19, works with his partner Elvie Turawan, 16, at a grocery store in Tagum City, which is one hour away from their temporary home. They have a nine-month-old daughter, Zoe, who they left to the care of Mercy when they are working.
The young pair roughly earn 4,000 pesos monthly, barely sufficient for their child’s milk, food, and clothes.
To provide for their food, utilities, and other daily expenses, Mercy braves the heat or rain to sell vegetables and cooked food in the vicinity of the evacuation site.
“Life is very hard. We only think of ourselves after the baby’s needs,” Mercy told MindaNews in Cebuano during an interview last July 1. “Unsaon ta man na mahal man kaayong gatas?” (What else can we do when milk is so expensive?)
Deadly landslide
Last January, heavy rains poured in parts of the Davao region, including in this town.
They were fine for a while, Mercy recalled. To them, they were just rains. Sure, there were occasional floods, but the Aballe family still had a place to call home. They were all safe, until they were not.
On February 1, a smaller landslide hit Zone 1 in Barangay Masara that prompted the immediate barricading of the area. Five days later on February 6, a bigger one hit, this time burying properties and people. It claimed close to a hundred lives and displaced approximately 7,000 people. The Masara landslide was considered as the worst disaster by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office since Super Typhoon Pablo in 2012.
According to the UP Resilience Institute, the accumulated rainfall since January caused the already hazardous slopes to give in.
Amidst the adversities, Mercy found solace in a single thought, that at least they are alive. The mere thought of surviving was enough to keep her grounded as she navigated ceaseless challenges every day.
When MindaNews visited last February 11, at least 30 families were residing in the evacuation center. As one of the three families left in the evacuation center after five months, they were also left to tend to both their families and the evacuation center.
“Okay ra,” said Mercy when asked how they were faring. While she claimed that her family is okay , the condition and their experiences in the building painted a different picture.
Hygiene remained the primary issue at the evacuation center. Even last February, the toilets were clogged and often leaked in corners when used. Such sanitary concerns rendered the supposed “bathroom” useless for hygienic activities. Instead of using those, the Aballe household was forced to bathe, wash, and do laundry using the outdoor faucets.
Putting food on the table has been a pressing concern for the family. Ayuda (food assistance) from organizations ceased a long time ago.
On the bright side, the water is potable. For the grown-up household members of the Aballe family, water from the building’s faucets is sufficient for their consumption.
Mercy Aballe with granddaughter Zoe at the municipal evacuation site in Barangay Patagan, Maco, Davao de Oro on 01 July 2024. MindaNews photo by YAS D. OCAMPO
However, distilled water was a necessity for baby Zoe’s milk formula. The infant suffered from diarrhea after drinking the formula milk with water from the building. Her mother Elvie also tried using water from refillable water stations, but it was still not suited for the baby. The parents had to rely on bottled distilled water they bought with their meager income.
The family shells out P300 a month for electricity bill also.
Expenses aside, the weather conditions further aggravate their discomfort at the evacuation center. Although the roof does not leak during rainy days, spikes in temperature made their stay unbearable.
“Dili mi mahimotang oy. Init jud kaayo, as in init. Grabe, grabe kainit (We can’t stay still. It was really hot. The heat was unimaginable),” was her response when asked about if the weather is hot.
The discomfort brought by the changing weather condition is often coupled by mosquito infestations at night. The Aballe family had to use mosquito coils to ward off them off, and only then could they sleep well.
The future
But hope remains in the Aballe household.
In Mercy’s words, “Di man ta hatagan ug pagsulay sa Ginoo na dili nato kaya (God won’t give us challenges we can’t overcome).”
The two mothers, Mercy and her son’s partner Elvie, look forward to their future.
Local officials offered support to the remaining three families at the evacuation site in the form of construction materials. This, in turn, is helping expedite their resettlement process.
Mercy’s determination showed as she shared their home’s construction progress.
The Aballe family plans to move to the new house this week even if construction is not yet finished.
Inspired by her sister, Mercy also intends to go beyond her survival aspirations and continue her education. According to Mercy, her sister recently graduated cum laude, and she is determined to follow in her footsteps.
“Ako muskwela pa ko maski unsa dangatan (I will continue my studies no matter what happens),” she said, full of confidence.
Mercy was in Grade 12 when the landslide changed the course of their lives.
She discussed her plans on how to juggle being a breadwinner, a mother, and a student once she starts attending college. One of her options is attending Sunday school, which will give her a more flexible schedule to fulfill her roles and responsibilities.
Meanwhile, her son’s partner Elvie aspires to live independently once things are settled. She shared her plans to move out with Lowenmak and Zoe, finally establishing a home of their own.
However, unlike her partner’s mother, she has no plans of continuing her academic journey. Elvie finished only Grade 10 while Lowenmark completed Grade 11. Due to their circumstances, she acknowledged the difficulties of continuing her studies.
“Kung mubalik, lisod na oy (If I ever return, it will be hard for me),” she said.
For her, baby Zoe remains their top priority and education only comes next. They plan to focus on earning money instead of going back to school.
Moving forward, Mercy wants to share her knowledge on disaster management to her family and the community. Her years of experience as a barangay tanod equipped her with disaster preparedness – a skill that people even beyond their vicinity should acquire.
With or without imminent disaster, Mercy encouraged her family and those from her purok to prepare their “Go Bags” containing emergency kits, undergarments, and other necessary supplies. This way, she is assured that they can evacuate as soon as possible when the situation requires them to.
To Mercy, “Ligtas ang may alam” (You are safe when you have the knowledge) did not save the fallen.
“Ligtas ang handa” (You are safe when you are prepared) should be promoted to ensure that no family would have to shoulder the weight of losing a life during times of disaster, she added. (Alyssa Ilaguison and Kylene Faith Andales, UPMin / MindaNews interns)