Woman with disability pleads for help
Rita Sablan and husband Jack Cepeda stand outside their home yesterday. According to Sablan, she has been seeking help from multiple government agencies for many years but has not been assisted. Sablan wants to share her story in hopes of shedding light on her situation, and hopefully to get the help she has long been asking for. (Kimberly A. Bautista)
Rita Sablan, 42, lost both her legs years ago. Her husband, Jack Cepeda, left his job to take care of her. They live in a tin shack in Koblerville, a place so rundown it has no walls, no electricity, and no running water.
To get anywhere, Sablan uses a rickety wheelchair that Cepeda pushes around. The fact that the way to their house is unpaved only makes it doubly harder for the two.
Sablan claims she has been asking for assistance from different government agencies and organizations for over six years, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.
In meeting with Sablan yesterday, Saipan Tribune was able to take a tour of their home in Koblerville. The roof had flown off, debris left from Typhoon Soudelor in 2015 still litter the premises, and the structure is not fit for human habitation.
According to Sablan, she lost her first leg to an accident back in 2015. Shortly after, Sablan faced another tragedy, this time due to her poorly built home, which claimed her other leg.
Sablan said that even before her first accident, she had already been reaching out to the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. for nearly three years in hopes that they would help her find a suitable living place. Unfortunately, they had not received the help they needed.
“Every time I called, it was like they were annoyed with me,” she said.
After being released from the hospital, Sablan said she tried to get back in touch with NMHC, but to her dismay, her slot had been given to someone else when she didn’t get back to them. According to Sablan, NMHC told her that a letter had been mailed to her mailbox in June 2015.
“I was in the hospital for a long while that time. I was not able to renew my box…they asked for evidence so I gave it. Until now, they have not gotten back to me,” she said.
Sablan said she feels hurt and helpless because she knows of people who have been provided homes who are in better condition than she is.
“I just want to let them know, how come they can help people with two feet? I’m disabled and I have been asking for help. What about me?” she asked.
Sablan said she has also reached out to Karidat Social Services, to the Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy Systems, Inc., and the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter, but no one had stepped in to give her the help she has long been asking for.
Yesterday, after meeting with an emotional Sablan, Saipan Tribune was able to speak with Sablan’s uncle, Ben Basa, who was not aware of his niece’s situation until yesterday.
“I read in the papers about how good the economy is right now. How come they can’t help her?” asked Basa.
Sablan said her family has been helpful but she doesn’t want to be a burden to them.
As of today, Sablan and her husband were taken in by Basa but are still awaiting help from the government.
This is tragic, while our Gov. and other are constantly traveling off island on junkets at taxpayer’s expense, giving themselves 80% pay raises,etc.we have local people living (barely surviving),in these conditions.If I had of seen this tin shack I would have thought that this was a typical Filipino CW residence, NOT a local.
I also have seen so many times able bodied people getting into NMHC due to politics and many times these people are not even indigenous.
I also read about many agencies helping so many others that are in much better condition yet these folks cannot get help?
This is not acceptable!
Where is the Mayor’s office, where is the elected Rep. for this area?
Where are the Govt. agencies that should have been looking at such residence to see if it was inhabited and safe?
How many others indigenous are in this type of situation or homeless? This situation is not much better than homeless
BTW who owns this property? This property owner should have known this situation and offered some help in doing something about the structure on a compassionate basis and also attempted to help them with the Govt. agencies and even within the community..
I do suspect that NOW that this is in the media some actions will be forthcoming as in so many cases on all fronts nothing is done until it becomes public and there is an outcry.
ALL of our Govt. agencies and elected are more interested in taking care of the Chinese than their own people.
Where is protection and advocacy for the local residents?
Her immobility should have attracted immediate assistance from government agencies. Moreover, we come from a Christian community it’s unbelievable how we’ve skipped extending a helping hand.