Guiuan, Eastern Samar – Every helping hand is a reason big enough for 43-year-old Vilma Tacastacas to start again after her harrowing experience with Typhoon Yolanda.

Left homeless and jobless, Vilma  said there is no time for pity and dwell in the past. There is only the time to make a step forward and continue rising and recover after the storm, even one step at a time.

 “Hindi namin akalaing maraming tulong ang darating sa amin. Noong nakita namin iyon, nagkaroon kami ng pag-asang bumangon ulit. Isa o dalawang araw pagkatapos ni ‘Yolanda,’ hindi namin alam kung makakakain kami o may mapupuntahan kami (We did not expect this much help to us. When we saw these, we already had a reason to rise. One or two days after ‘Yolanda,’ we had no idea whether we will have something to eat or a place to stay),” she shared.

 Starting with a few items like coffee and candies, she started a small sari-sari store as their source of livelihood that she expanded as cash and in-kind assistance from various groups continue to pour in. 

 Small steps

Vilma’s family is a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, a project of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to qualified poor households in support for the health and educational needs of children aged from zero to 14.

As a beneficiary of the program, Vilma’s family was also a qualified recipient of an additional P1,300 cash assistance provided under the partnership of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP).

“Dahil wala naman kaming kailangang pagkagastusan dito kasi meron naman kaming bigas galing sa relief goods at may mga nagbigay ng school supplies sa mga bata, pinuhunan ko na lang ‘yung pera para mapalago itong maliit na tindahan  (Since we have rice from the relief packs and there were donors of school supplies, I used the money from UNWFP to grow this small store),”  she narrated.

The sari-sari store is a big help to the family, especially that ‘Yolanda’ had also left her husband jobless. Their small boat, which he used to earn for the family, was destroyed during the onslaught of the typhoon.

Starting with a few items, little by little, their store became bigger. Its income is enough to allow the family to buy most of their needs and even save a little.

“Hindi naman kami p’wedeng umasa na lang sa kung ano man ang tulong na darating. Dito sa aming tindahan, kahit maliit ang kita, okay na rin kaysa wala kaming ginagawa (We cannot always depend on relief. With our store, even if its income is not that big, it is better than doing nothing),” she added.

 Their way out

With a smile, Vilma serves her customers all day long in the store they built using scrap wood and sheets in the tent city where they currently reside. For her, this store will also be their way out of this situation. 

 The tent city, set-up within the compound of Eastern Samar State University, is home to 112 families who were displaced by ‘Yolanda.’ Rebuilding their previous homes is no longer an option since their area was declared “No Dwelling Zone,” being within 40 meters from the shoreline.

 Vilma admits that they have no capacity yet to build a new home, much more find a place to construct one. Hence, they have to stay here for now but not for long. 

 Once they have enough savings, she plans to bring their livelihood back where her husband catches fish and she selling his catch. This will give them better income and will eventually lead them to finding a safer home for their family.

 Moving forward

As Vilma looks around the tent city, she sees hope. With every person who buys from her store, Vilma knows that he or she is also moving forward. With every smile she gets from children when they buy candies, she is moved and inspired to continue what she is doing.

 “Kung ‘yung mga tumutulong nga sa amin umaasa na makakabangon kami, kami pa kaya ang mawalan ng pag-asa? Sila ang aming naging lakas (If those who are helping us believe that we can rise from these difficulties, then, all the more, that we should not lose our hope. They are the source of our strength),” a very optimistic Vilma shared, the tragedy of the past year already out of her mind. ###