EDITORIAL — Ten years since Yolanda

Ten years ago today parts of the Philippines experienced what was considered one of the strongest storms in modern history; supertyphoon Yolanda, also known internationally as typhoon Haiyan.

Packing winds as strong as 314 kilometers per hour, Yolanda passed through central Philippines, making landfall in Leyte, the northern tip of Cebu, and Panay Island. However, the worst to receive its fury was Tacloban City in Leyte where thousands were killed. Deaths were estimated at the thousands, but because the government ordered to halt the counting at the 8,000 mark, we will truly never know how many died.

Damage to everything from infrastructure to agriculture was estimated at ?95.4 billion.

It was a blessing the storm moved through the country as quickly as it did; had it taken its sweet time it would have caused even more death and devastation.

Tacloban and other parts of Leyte were unrecognizable after the storm. The rubble, the piles of bodies, and the lives it tore apart would become fodder for local and foreign news for the next two weeks.

The storm left such an impact the weather bureau decided to retire the name Yolanda from the roster of local names for storms entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

Of course, Filipinos suffered for a while, grieved their dead, and even cried at their misfortune but in the end --just like in every major disaster that came their way-- they always picked up the pieces, rebuilt their homes, their places of work and worship, and then got on with their lives.

Thankfully, help came from different sectors, even from abroad. Foreign aid groups descended upon the areas that needed help. Of course Filipinos from others parts of the country weren’t slow to come to the aid of their fellowmen, stopped only by the occasional washed-out road, ruined bridge, or lack of transportation.

Ten years on, the scars of Yolanda are almost gone from the areas it devastated, and although the scars in the hearts of those who survived the worst of it may still linger, these have healed to an extent that they are now regarded as indelible signs that one has survived great ordeals.

Yolanda was a bitter pill to swallow, but it showed the Philippines and the rest of the world how resilient Filipinos can be. That Filipinos can weather the worst of weather and come back to their feet even after such a blow.

More importantly, Yolanda also showed how Filipinos will go above and beyond to help others in need.