Boy spends first birthday in evacuation center

Apollo Zeus Ignacio with his mother Jobelle Ignacio. (CDN PHOTO/ JOSE SANTINO BUNACHITA)

Apollo Zeus Ignacio spent his first birthday playing inside the Cebu City Sports Institute yesterday.

He and his 26-year-old mother Jobelle Ignacio, both residents of a coastal area in barangay Sawang Calero, were among the 7,096 families or 35,854 persons who stayed in 137 designated evacuation centers all over Cebu City.

“Wala na mi nakapangumpra kay gi-announce naman sa mga taga barangay nga mamakwit na kuno mi pag Sabado sa hapon. Mao nang wa mi naka-celebrate karon (We weren’t able to buy groceries and prepare since barangay officials announced that we have to evacuate already last Saturday afternoon. That’s why we weren’t able to celebrate),”  Ignacio told Cebu Daily News.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama ordered the evacuation of families in high risk areas like those in coastal barangays, near rivers and in landslide-prone sites at 4 p.m. last Saturday.

At around the same time yesterday, Rama told the evacuees to go back to their homes.

Cake and balloons

Each family received food packs from the Cebu City government. Each pack contains three kilos of rice, eight canned goods and instant noodles.

Apollo and his parents,  grandparents and aunt shared a meal yesterday.

“Kani lang sa ang among kan-on karon. Among plano kay ugma (today), mag-celebrate gyud mi para sa akong anak kay importante gyud ni kay iya man ning first birthday (We’ll just eat this for now. We really plan to celebrate my child’s birthday tomorrow [today] since it’s his first),” Ignacio said.

As she carried her son in her arms, Jobelle whispered into his ear “mopalit tag cake ug balloons, baby (we’ll buy cake and balloons, baby)” and Apollo giggled.