With his family, (Mum, Dad and two younger brothers) Arjay lived in the village of Little Kibungin on the outskirts of La Trinidad; 5,000’ above sea level in the mountains of Northern Luzon.
About 20 years ago these mountains were dense with pine trees, today they are as equally dense with the concrete, wood and tin structures that are home to over 300,000 people in a region designed for 30,000. Little Kibungin, a village of 100 families, like most of the villages in these mountain cities is built into and on the slopes of the mountains: the houses of all shapes, sizes and compositions hang precariously to the steep inclines.Over 60% of the vegetables required for the nation’s appetite are produced in this region and Arjay’s family, like many that live in the city, are farmers. Arjay’s folks had done well and their success had earned them a two story, solid concrete structure at the foot of the mountain and the opportunity to send Arjay to school in Manila.
On the Wednesday, when typhoon Pepeng made landfall and began to wreak havoc on Northern Luzon, Arjay decided to go home to be with his folks. Typhoons had not caused major damage in their part of the world before – but he felt he needed to be home.
When he arrived early on Thursday morning he was met with an unbelievable sight. The mountain above his family home was torn in two, and half the mountain had collapsed, on top of Little Kibungin. There was a scar 1km long and 500m wide, from the top of the mountain to the valley below and anything that had been in the way was gone. The mountain road was inaccessible, the electrical poles had been torn out of the ground and thrown away like toothpicks – and the houses, all the houses, were gone. Amongst the rich fertile soil of the mountain were splinters of concrete slabs, walls, furniture and bodies.84 of 100 families, (263 individuals) disappeared in this landslide, the worst in the region. Arjay climbed up through the dirt and rubble, pushing aside police and emergency services in a desperate effort to reach the place where he knew his house stood, only to discover the unbelievable - it wasn’t were it should be. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ8wDugtFi8)
Looking around in disbelief, he noticed the remains of a building further down the valley and recognised it as his home. The solid concrete, two story house with its deep foundations had been literally torn out of the ground and dumped some 300m further down the valley. Arriving at the ruins he tore at a door still intact and pushing it aside he found his dad, and his mum.
Arjay looked at me with dead, deep, unseeing eyes as he described to me the horrific scene of mutilation that confronted him, a scene that no person, let alone a 17 year old son should ever have to witness.
When I was introduced to Arjay on Monday (19th) he told me that every morning for the last 11 days he has returned from the evacuation centre where he stays, to the road above his parents place. When I met him, as he did every day, he sat with his back to the place where the mountain dumped his house; he sits facing the bulldozers, police and workmen who are still looking for the last two unaccounted for bodies – his little brothers.
