A month after the earthquake in Batanes Islands, many families in the Municipality of Itbayat are still struggling on food shortage. Supplies have become expensive due to the difficulty in transporting goods to the island.
Operation Blessing’s generous donors sent hunger relief items in the form of rice, canned goods, milk and sugar which is good for the next few weeks; as another typhoon is coming. The team distributed solar lamps to each family like Analyn’s at the same time.
Analyn receives relief packs during the disaster relief distribution in Itbayat.
Analyn, a single mother to a 10-year old boy, was the last one who left the evacuation center after the government ordered that all families should go back to their own houses to rebuild what was damaged by the earthquake.
Analyn and her son stand by the ruins of their old limestone house.
Since Analyn is only living with her young son and old mother, her father just passed away recently, she has no one to turn to, who would at least put up a temporary shelter for her family. Thankfully, she got help from the local church she was attending, which is also an OB partner.
Analyn and her son eat inside their makeshift tent.
Analyn’s other concern is that their food supplies are already running out. Analyn works as a staff at the Municipal Hall, but for a month she could not go to the office because she needs to attend to the concerns of her family. Currently, they are only dependent on the relief packs that were given by the government and different organizations like Operation Blessing.
Most of their things at home were buried by the earthquake.
“Thank you very much for these relief goods. This is a huge help, enough to sustain us for the next days since another storm is coming,” Analyn said.
As the family’s breadwinner, Analyn said she would do anything for her son and her mother. She will continue to hope in the Lord that everything will be fine and is under His control.
