Correspondent Peter Romanillos pose for a picture as powerful winds unleashed by supertyphoon Yolanda batter northern Cebu last November.
A day before supertyphoon Yolanda struck, I was more than eager to chase the storm by anticipating its arrival in Daanbantayan town in northern
CDN photo chief Tonee Despojo
Cebu where it was estimated to make landfall by morning.
The excitement turned to fear after a few hours inside the town’s seaside municipal hall where we sought refuge. The wind reached up to speeds of 300kph and pounded the building. Howling winds ripped open the nearby gymnasium and uprooted century-old acacia trees in the plaza.
Glass windows broke. At times I wondered if the municipal hall would crack as well.
I have to admit that I feared for my life.
Scenes of devastation awaited us when we left Daanbantayan on foot in the afternoon as the storm moved away. Residents on the roadside cried for help. Most were still in a state of shock.
It was a virtual blackout in the town – no mobile phone signal, no internet or land lines, no electricity.
CDN photo editor Tonee “Tatay” Despojo and I knew we had to deliver our photos and stories immediately so we walked over 25 kilometers, past fallen trees, downed power lines and storm debris, to reach Bogo City at night, only to find out the city was just as badly damaged as Daanbantayan.
I slept outside the Gaisano Mall in Bogo that night. The crew from a fast-food restaurant in the mall lent us plastic chairs which served as my bed.
By morning, we were able to hitch a ride to Cebu city.
While writing my first-hand account of the storm, I felt the weight of responsibility to tell the story clearly and paint the scenes for the reader.
Hopefully, I did.
(The article ‘Five hours of Yolanda pounding Daanbantayan town’ was published on page 2 in CDN’s Nov. 10, 2013 issue.)