ONE YEAR ON

2014
Labada Brothers

Mariano lost 2 of his 4 children.

Elmer lost both of his.

After days of searching,
Elmer found his daughter at the morgue.

ELMER LABADA



“It seems like the typhoon took everything away from me.”

Elmer visits his daughter's graves every week.

He always buys three candles.

One for each child he lost.

And another for everyone else who suffered.

“I look at them when I miss them.”

“I ask for forgiveness because I feel guilty that I couldn’t save them.”

ELMER LABADA



“...everything was gone in four seconds.”

2014
Pel Tecson

Many of Tanauan’s residents still live in tents.

Mayor Pel Tecson says he is doing what he can to move them into permanent housing.

Three estates are under construction.

Survivors are given new homes for free.

But they must help build them.

At the local sports hall, Mayor Pel is providing cash handouts to help rebuild homes.

PEL TECSON



“Each new day is a better day in Tanauan.”

2014
Angela Tolibas

Since the storm, Angela has struggled to find somewhere to call home.

She now lives in a hut right on the beach.

On average, the Philippines faces 20 storms a year because it sits on a typhoon belt.

So it’s dangerous to live near the shore.

ANGELA TOLIBAS



“Sometimes I can’t sleep. I wake up in the night and think, ‘it’s just me and my brother now’.”

But Angela is back in school, even if it’s just a tent.

She often writes letters to her parents.

“Dear mother, we miss you.

Dear father, we miss you too.”

NEXT

FIVE YEARS ON

Continue onto part 4/4 ➡