by Telly G. Ocampo
Lunop Han Dughan
(a maelstrome of emotions in our hearts)
The Yolanda story
(Part 2)
The story of the play presentation was all about the wrath of Yolanda felt at Tacloban with thousands of people and homes washed out by the surge. After Yolanda, it was only then that the strongest of winds at intensity 5 can make waves as high as a cathedral with an intensity comparable to that of a very strong quake.
And when the typhoon subsided, dead bodies were scattered all over. Survivors roamed around like zombies. “Ara nah hin bagyo. We are used to typhoons,” they said. Hence, they did not prepare for any eventuality. They thought it was nothing new. But yolanda was a super super typhoon.
The participants of the play were all Yolanda survivors. They were still students of University of the Philippine Tacloban when Yolanda happened. In my case, I saw the play with a maelstrome of emotions for there were so many ifs that I’ve been asking myself. Having stayed in Tacloban for 20 years, could we have survived the storm, if we stayed there longer?.
We went to Tacloban a month and a half ago to visit the place and our friends. We were sending relief days after. My daughters friends and classmates from abroad made Cebu as the focal point for relief operations.
Seeing the play Lunop Han Dughan, made me automatically recall the tragedy in Tacloban. I suddently felt devastated in the course of the play. I also had a surge of emotions. All memories of the tragedy came surging back. I suddently remembered one of my closest friends who vanished in the seas after she was swallowed by the big, big waves. You may not know it. The Jews worldwide sent the first batch of relief goods to our country. Thay are very grateful to the Philippines for our country gave them refuge during the holocaust.
.For the members of the group who visited Bohol, the theater was their way of de-stressing, unwinding, forgiving. The message of the play says: let us nurture mother nature and never abuse it.
This is a photo taken after the play presentation at the ceremonial hall of the new capitol. From left are: Joyce Dorado Alegre, Alegria Ocampo Ferrer, the author, Gemma Abarcar, Jo Caballo and Daria Realista.