‘Strong’ banners lift spirits as Saipan Computer reopens after Sinlaku

A pair of “Marianas Strong” and “Staying Strong Saipan” banners now stretched atop Saipan Computer Services’ Beach Road building is more than signage—it is a deliberate attempt to rally a community still reeling from three super typhoons in 11 years, the latest being Super Typhoon Sinlaku.

General manager Jerry Tiu said the messages were chosen to resonate with residents emerging from what he described as a grueling, multi-day ordeal.

“We wanted some message that everybody could identify with,” he said, noting the psychological toll of “three solid days of high winds.”

With Saipan and Tinian battered yet again, the company opted to contribute in a simple but visible way—encouraging unity and recovery at a time when resources were limited. Positioned along one of the island’s busiest corridors, the banners were meant to remind people to rebuild together rather than in isolation.

“We hope that our simple message could keep the community together, focused on helping one another and recovering as a community, not as individuals,” Tiu said.

The gesture appears to have struck a chord. Passing motorists have honked in support, while some pedestrians applauded when the banners first went up—small but telling signs, Tiu said, that the message is landing.

 Even as the banners went up, the company itself was dealing with storm damage. Despite lessons learned from past typhoons—Soudelor and Yutu—Sinlaku proved to be a different kind of threat.

“We thought we were strong enough, but apparently, this monster was something that was never within our imagination,” Tiu said.

 The building sustained rooftop damage, while wind-driven rain forced water through small openings, a familiar problem across the island during the storm’s roughly 70-hour onslaught. While the damage was manageable overall, it underscored the limits of previous rebuilding efforts.

 In the immediate aftermath, Saipan Computer prioritized people over business. Tiu and his wife made their way from Capitol Hill to Garapan even before the official all-clear, checking on employees amid a communications blackout.

 “We did not wait for the all-clear… we just wanted to get as many people together so that we could assess their personal situation,” Tiu said.

 The office initially functioned as a gathering point rather than a workplace, allowing employees to account for one another and their families before resuming operations.

 The company formally reopened to the public the following Monday, April 20, and has since resumed regular hours—8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday—while also providing charging access to residents still struggling with intermittent power.

 For Tiu, the experience highlights a hard truth—resilience alone is no longer enough.

“Resilience is always a good word, but sometimes it becomes a cliché,” he said. “We need to be more prepared.”