Residents of Purok Mahohany in Sityo Ilacot, Barangay Cotcot, Liloan broke down in tears as they expressed their deep disappointment over being overlooked for government assistance in the aftermath of Typhoon Tino.
Victims Overlooked During Presidential Visit
The emotional scenes unfolded on Friday afternoon, coinciding with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s visit to Liloan. The President distributed food packs to evacuees at Tiltilon Elementary School in Cotcot, but the residents of Purok Mahogany were conspicuously absent from the relief efforts.
Delfie Sungahid, a 56-year-old widow and resident of the area, together with her neighbors, revealed their heartbreaking situation to SunStar Superbalita Cebu. They were excluded from the official list of evacuees and affected residents, despite suffering significant property and home losses from the typhoon.
Three Days Without Proper Food
Sungahid confessed that they have been without proper meals for three consecutive days. The community is also grappling with severe shortages of safe drinking water, clothing, and essential medicines.
"This isn't fair because we lost our homes and belongings just like everyone else affected by the typhoon," expressed the distressed residents. They emphasized that their situation is equally dire and deserves immediate attention from authorities.
Children Suffering from Hunger
The most heartbreaking aspect of their predicament involves the youngest members of the community. Small children and grandchildren continue crying due to intense hunger, adding to the emotional burden of their parents and grandparents.
The residents are now making a desperate plea to government agencies: provide direct assistance to their community without further delays. They emphasized that their need for food, water, clothing, and medicine is urgent and cannot wait for bureaucratic processes.
"We hope they won't make things difficult for us because our need for food, water, clothes, and medicine is truly urgent," Sungahid appealed, representing the collective voice of her suffering neighbors.
