Resilience in the Face of Typhoon Carina: A Family’s Survival Story in Sitio Gipit

Typhoon Carina Strikes Sitio Gipit, Philippines

Location: Sitio Gipit, Philippines
Disaster: Typhoon Carina, 2024

Leoncia Ibanez lives in Sitio Gipit, a small community near Antipolo. In August 2024, Super Typhoon Carina, also known as Gaemi, struck the Philippines. Heavy monsoon rains caused widespread flooding. Climate change has intensified these storms, making them more frequent and severe.

Leoncia recalls, “We were shocked by how quickly the water rose and how strong the currents were. We didn’t know where to go, so we ended up in the water. Our house was completely washed away.”

Leoncia describes the panic her children felt. “Everything we owned was submerged. My priority was to save my children. One almost drowned, but we survived.” They climbed a tree for safety as the water rose. “The water reached my feet, but we were cared for.”

After the flood, Leoncia found her house destroyed. “All that was left was the toilet bowl. My daughter and I had wounds, but we received help from the Red Cross. My children are traumatized, and my husband has pain from being hit by debris. But we are together.”

Struggles to Start Over

Their livelihood vanished in the flood. “We sold fish balls and street food. The flood washed everything away,” Leoncia explains. They managed to save one motorbike but lost another.

Leoncia is concerned about survival. “We have no house yet. We evacuated to a school but had to move into a shelter. We’re still living there temporarily.” The Red Cross provided sleeping mats and some food donations, but resources are scarce. “We sell scraps for money and buy basic food. We’re surviving on little.”

Leoncia hopes for a better future for her children. “We want to provide for them, but I fear this could happen again. I tell my kids to study hard. We don’t know what help we’ll get.”

She expresses gratitude for her neighbors who have supported them. “This situation has shown me who is willing to help. We survived this experience, and I will never forget it. Now, we work hard to stay together.”

This interview was facilitated by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.