It's been a while since I last posted anything on my blog. My internet connection crashed 'cause of typhoon "Ondoy". Anyway, I think that it's about time to tell you guys my own flood story.
I guess I was fortunate. While everyone was seeking higher ground, I managed to keep myself a bit dry. It was not because I live in the hills but because I already got stranded in the ortigas area where flooding was at a minimum. I ended up spending a couple of nights there until the flooding subsided.
My wife and I, together with our friends, ended up sharing a room in one of the hotels in Robinson's Galleria since we had nowhere else to go. Everyone was so busy on their respective mobile phones trying to get information on their families and loved ones. All we heard were terrible news. It was flooding just about everywhere. In my in-law's place (where my wife and I live), the garage was flooded, most of the cars parked were submerged, the basement was more of a pond according to my sister-in-law, and there was a shortage of water and food. Nobody expected that our place would become sort of a prison.
I thought we were unlucky. However, I felt that we were more blessed than the majority. I felt a sense of helplessness while watching the coverage on TV where most of our countrymen lost not just a car, not just their furniture, not just their appliances, but their homes and, to a certain extent, even their lives. I wanted to help yet I did nothing. I was not in a position to mobilize a rescue since I had no resources. All I had were the clothes that I was wearing that day. Eventually, I started to pray that the suffering would stop and the rebuilding would start.
It was an experience that I will never forget. All I see as I pass through Marcos Hiway are remnants of a horrible past. You can see, feel and even breathe that bad experience. Yet, in times of tragedy, you can also witness people's resilience. I salute all those who contributed, volunteered and sacrificed in order to help out. I wished that I could have done something too. Tsk tsk tsk.
I guess I was fortunate. While everyone was seeking higher ground, I managed to keep myself a bit dry. It was not because I live in the hills but because I already got stranded in the ortigas area where flooding was at a minimum. I ended up spending a couple of nights there until the flooding subsided.
My wife and I, together with our friends, ended up sharing a room in one of the hotels in Robinson's Galleria since we had nowhere else to go. Everyone was so busy on their respective mobile phones trying to get information on their families and loved ones. All we heard were terrible news. It was flooding just about everywhere. In my in-law's place (where my wife and I live), the garage was flooded, most of the cars parked were submerged, the basement was more of a pond according to my sister-in-law, and there was a shortage of water and food. Nobody expected that our place would become sort of a prison.
I thought we were unlucky. However, I felt that we were more blessed than the majority. I felt a sense of helplessness while watching the coverage on TV where most of our countrymen lost not just a car, not just their furniture, not just their appliances, but their homes and, to a certain extent, even their lives. I wanted to help yet I did nothing. I was not in a position to mobilize a rescue since I had no resources. All I had were the clothes that I was wearing that day. Eventually, I started to pray that the suffering would stop and the rebuilding would start.
It was an experience that I will never forget. All I see as I pass through Marcos Hiway are remnants of a horrible past. You can see, feel and even breathe that bad experience. Yet, in times of tragedy, you can also witness people's resilience. I salute all those who contributed, volunteered and sacrificed in order to help out. I wished that I could have done something too. Tsk tsk tsk.
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