Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.
SEEING Catanduanes from the air this week, I felt like Magellan seeing the Philippines for the first time — green, hilly, forested, with only the coastal areas showing signs of settlement.
Yes, it was the first time for me to set foot on Catanduanes, the first island to be buffeted by typhoons headed for Luzon. The last one that mauled Catanduanes was "Rolly" in 2020 (followed by "Ulysses," only slightly less strong), both super typhoons. They were also the reason why we came to Catanduanes to check on the abaca weavers that we partnered with in our textile advocacy work (disclosure: I belong to HABI, the Philippine Textile Council Inc.). Their weaving center and its looms were blown off the map, setting back income and work. Everyone had to scramble to fix their houses while the abaca trees that furnished the weaving material were wiped out. We helped as much as we could from a distance due to pandemic restrictions on air travel and other impediments. But now that we are on Alert Level 1, it was time to see for ourselves and get better and more permanent help.
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