09/04/2026
๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐ฟ๐น๐ฒ๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น, ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ป
When Severe Tropical Storm Uwan hit their community, Shirley and her family thought they had made the safest decision, they evacuated before the typhoon made landfall. But safety quickly turned into uncertainty. The house they fled to was soon swallowed by rising floodwaters, just like their own home. Back in their house, everything they owned, clothes, appliances, and basic household items were submerged. By the time the waters receded, most of their belongings were damaged.
โWe were scared. We thought we were going to die that day. We didnโt know what to do,โ Shirley recalled, remembering how quickly the situation escalated and how helpless they felt as the waters continued to rise.
Recovery was slow and difficult. It took nearly a month for the family to clear their house and save whatever they could. Mud-filled rooms, damaged furniture, and soaked belongings greeted them when they returned. Assistance gradually came in the form of rice relief and support for their partially damaged home, helping them rebuild piece by piece. While these provided immediate relief, their path to recovery remained long.
Their livelihood, abaca farming, was severely affected by the typhoon. The destruction of their crops meant a loss of income, making it even harder to recover. Until now, they continue to rebuild not only their home but also their means of living, hoping their fields will recover and provide for their family once again.
Last March, Shirley joined information sessions conducted in their barangay, where topics on Gender-Based Violence and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights were discussed.
โI realized that during disasters, women and children face greater risks. Through the information sessions, I learned about our rights, the importance of safe spaces, and where we can seek help when protection concerns arise.โ she shared.
For her, the sessions were eye-opening, giving her knowledge she wished she had during the height of the emergency.
At 52, Shirley proves that learning has no age limit. Her story is a powerful reminder that itโs never too late to grow, to learn, and to emerge stronger in the face of adversity.
From her experience, Shirley now emphasizes the importance of preparedness, not only securing belongings and identifying safer evacuation sites, but also being informed about protection and support services available in times of crisis.
Despite these lessons, their struggle continues. To this day, they still live in the same house that was once submerged by floodwaters. They remain there not by choice, but by necessity, as they have no safer place to move to.
Yet through loss and recovery, Shirley holds on to hope. With stronger awareness, gradual livelihood recovery, and continued support, she dreams of one day building a safer home for her family, one that will no longer be vulnerable to the same floodwaters that once threatened to wash everything away.
**Photo and story were taken with informed consent, secured through signed media consent forms.**
