Brgy. Aguadahan, Laoang in Northern Samar is just 30-minute boat ride away from Batag Island where Tropical Storm Nona made landfall on December 14, 2015.

Though categorized as a small village with only 188 households, said barangay was able to received four sub-projects under DSWD’s poverty alleviation program, Kalahi-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services).

Projects like their seawall and drainage canal which were chosen and constructed by the community folks were able to spare more than 900 individuals from possible storm surge and flooding due to a stream which overflowed nearby.

“Noong wala pa yang drainage canal, tumataas talaga dito ang tubig dahil umaapaw ang sapa, kaya noong nag-bagyong Nona hindi kami binaha,” Brgy. Kagawad Merlyn del Castillo said.

Julieta Adora, former Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee Chairperson said the seawall was also a life saver. Without the project, bigger waves caused by Nona could have added to stronger winds blown by the typhoon, resulting to more damaged houses.

“Pasalamat talaga kami dito sa seawall namin”, thankful Julieta exclaimed