Entering Yolanda-Stricken Eastern Samar

Exiting Marabut (Western Samar) heading south and eastwards towards Lawaan (Eastern Samar) the views were all the same – if not houses, trees were either downed, leafless and/or lifeless. A very disturbing view. And all the more I was so frustrated that I did not have anything to ‘document’ what I was seeing – because I was thinking, I must write about these in my blog. Ah, that verb “write” flicked something in my head! Yep, ‘chadaaan’ I quickly yanked the tablet from the backpack, so here I go with some pictures again…

Not as beautiful as I would have wanted to shoot my photos since this was my first time taking pics with a tablet, and on a moving vehicle for that matter. Argh!


What should have been lush green is now brown, what should have been coconuts are now just giant sticks protruding out from the ground



This is that 'welcome arch' you saw in the previous story - boundary between the two provinces. I took this while still on the (Western)Samar side. Eastern Samar is after that 'arch' - those hills that should have been green with coconut trees.

It does not differ much. Everything is a wreck in Yolanda's aftermath


Lawaan, Eastern Samar





TFK means "Task force Kapatid" - Y means "Yolanda".

Do you know where this truck of help came from? Catanduanes! Imagine?!





Entering the town of Balangiga, Eastern Samar.



Balangiga. For native English speakers, pronounce that as "ba-lang-hee-guh"



Remember the Balangiga Massacre?

You see that yellow belfry with a maroon roof?

Looks fine, right?

Not really. On closer look, the church is now without a roof!

And the multi-purpose building is now just its skeleton!

This is an elementary school. Like many others, roofless.



Entering Giporlos, Eastern Samar (the Gi is pronounced as in the pronoun "He")











Moving towards the town of Quinapondan, we start seeing tents.






The views still beckon.






Quinapondan town center.

There was a covered multi-purpose hall here. Now gone with the wind!



Junction. The intersection where going left is to Borongan and turning right goes to Salcedo, Mercedes and Guiuan. Hernani is 2 towns leftwards.


We were surprised that Gen. MacArthur did not seem badly beaten as the others!



Alright folks, that was mighty long. So let us cut it here first. Next will by my take on Hernani.


For a chronology of this trip's stories, click these numbers:
01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18

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1 Comments

  1. Well documented with good clear Photos. I feel like travelling too! Thanks for sharing.!! God bless!!

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