Ondoy Aftermath: picking up the pieces

(This is a continuation from the previous post. For more Ondoy pics, click here and here):

Sept. 27, 2009: Here are more images taken by my niece Pchie after the tragic ordeal brought about by the floods during Typhoon Ondoy.  These were from the streets of Provident Village, Marikina – one of the worst-hit areas in Metro Manila:

Rubber boats were already deployed in the village since the wee hours of Sunday morning. But it was nearly noon when they were finally able to see one pass by their street.

Dramatic rescue… Pchie: “Parang sa movie ko lng to napapanuod e…” Definitely NOT Richard Gutierrez doing the rescuing.  But maybe if that person was a starlet…

Our furry friends also need rescuing. Check the water level. This one was lucky. There were plenty of dogs lying on the street dead…

Some family’s refrigerator ended up hanging precariously on these power lines.  When Sis came out of the house for the first time since the flood, she thought the experience so surreal: “Parang yung pelikula ni Wil Smith? I am Legend ba yun? Ganun… parang wala nang tao sa mundo…“

A common sight now… Pchie: “Mayaman ang casa/talyer ngayon!” There were flooded cars being sold at the village entrance… um, possibly all over Metro Manila…

Refugee Levic (my 10 year old nephew in yellow-green shirt above) along with his sisters, trudged along ankle-deep mud, on the move for a safer and dryer place. They are now staying over at their Lola’s house.  While getting out of the village, Pchie and Paw shielded and distracted their little brother from the sight of dead bodies on the street…

… while Sis and Doc stayed behind to clean and to save what can be saved…

To all those who lost their loved ones in the flood, we are offering our sympathies and prayers. Our hearts are with you… Let’s heal from this tragedy, and rebuild anew. But we mustn’t forget as well. Let us as a nation learn from this and may this serve as a shout-out to the world that climate change is real and is happening, and that we should start making dire changes now before it is too late…

In unity, there is strength. Let us all help out any way we can through Phil. National Red Cross, and GMA Kapuso Foundation.

 

Ondoy Aftermath: waking up from the nightmare…

(Continuation from previous post)

Sept. 27, 2009:

I heaved a sigh of relief when after midnight, my sis texted: “Start na baba ng water, mga 18 ft. na lang… Lubog pa 1st flr, puro ubo na ng mga tao nrrinig d2…” At 2 am: “Kita na ibbaw ng gate…” Huhu! I was near tears reading these messages, thanking God, they’re finally safe from further danger…

Here are Before, During and After shots taken by my nieces and nephew (from the third floor of their house) regarding the havoc Ondoy wreaked upon Provident Village, Marikina:

DURING:

AFTER:

The water started to recede very slowly on Sunday. The last time it flooded in the village was 1988, but it did not rise up to the second floor. This 0ne was estimated to have reached up to 25 ft! Truly unimaginable…

DURING:

AFTER:

By noon of the following day, rescuers came with bulldozers to clear debris, and to carry flood victims.

BEFORE:

DURING:

AFTER:

Paw was able to take pics of the flood waters with her cellcam  as it began to rise higher and higher. The next day, lost things, debris and all sorts of garbage emerged from the receding flood.

BEFORE: Going…

and going…

… and gone!

AFTER:

The pix above show the parking area of the house. “Dpa naaninag mga kotse,” Sis texted during the storm. “Bka ntangay na ng agos.” When the water level went down, it was only then they realized -much to their surprise- that the cars were still there… Grabe.

More aftermath pix in the next post: Picking up the Pieces…

 

A nightmare called “Ondoy”

Sept. 26, 2009:

It was a harrowing experience - Typhoon Ondoy’s unprecedented rains were so heavy, it brought on our worst nightmares – metro-wide flooding that destroyed countless of homes, properties, and lives. And it was only Warning Signal No. 1!

Worst hit were riverside cities and low-lying areas, most especially Marikina, Pasig and Rizal. My sister, Doc, Pchie, Paw and Levic were all in the village that was among the hardest-hit in Marikina when the flashfloods came.  I was safe in my home in the south but I watched and stayed up late in the morning of the following day – monitoring via TV, radio, internet, and text messaging for every bit of helpful news I could grab on to.  I feel for everyone who got affected by the typhoon across all Metro Manila but my mind was focused more on my loved ones in Marikina who were experiencing it for themselves firsthand.

Here are the pictures taken by them during the typhoon:

Water started rising up to the 2nd floor of the rented house they’re staying in. They rushed up the third level of the house where they stayed safe and dry. Pchie: “…after lunch that day, we didn’t expect that it would really get WORST! we’re lucky to have a 3rd floor. Ang bilis ng pangyayari…”

… But their neighbors were up on the roofs, literally weathering the storm out throughout the day and night – exhausted, wet, cold, and hungry – having only rainwater to drink. They were only able to save the clothes they were wearing and nothing else.  My sis’ text message: “Wla na lubog na 2nd flr. 90%. Pls pray 4 us. mga kapitbahay nmin, gus2 lipat d2 kaso wla kami mgwa mlkas alon baha.”

At the height of the flood, the roofs of houses in the pic are two-story houses. The water was that high, and almost reached the third floor… Pchie: “Basta puro bubong (na lang ang makikita)… kala ko aakyat na rin ako ng 3rdfloor ng bubong namen! “

A neighbor awaits rescue… Just around midnight, Sis sent this text message: “Wla pa din rescue. My dumaan lang helicopter. Kawawa mga tao, konti na lang d na kta bubong nila… May dumaan nka jetski. sigaw mga tao 2big ska fud kc nga mrmi d pa nkkain…”

(The jetski that she was referring to at that moment was actually a speedboat which had actor Richard Gutierrez on it. He circled their street a number of times, looking for a starlet actress living in that area so he can save her. Not knowing who he was because it was pitch dark, people on top of the roofs were telling him to be careful ["Mag-ingat ka dyan. May pader dyan na may bubog!"] and asking him/them to come back and at least throw some bottled water or something ["Naka-ilang balik na kayo, magdala naman kayo ng kahit tubig man lang!"]. But he never did.  I don’t care what his reasons are, he’s an ass – he could have done more to help by letting rescuers borrow the speedboat or something… Hmp!)

By 2 am, Sept. 27, the flood waters were beginning to subside…

To be continued in the next post…

 

a week of tears and cheers

(Note: A yellow ribbon will be placed on all my August posts as my sign of respect and sorrow over the passing of our beloved former President Corazon C. Aquino ~SL)

It has been a week since Mommy Cory died.  Everyone calls her Tita Cory. Even if I didn’t know her personally (the closest encounter I had with her was when I saw her pass by during a campaign rally for her chosen senators),  it felt like she was more than an aunt or tita.  It didn’t feel right to call her just “Tita” (In the Phils. and even in other Asian countries like Japan, that’s how you address the bestfriend of your mom or your friend’s mom).  It doesn’t feel right to call her just that.  Losing her was like losing a mom– the second time for me, having lost my real mother when i was in my late teens. Now here it is again.  The tears keep on coming.  Grief and bereavement…  Hurt, anguish, and despair over what’s freakin’ left for us to deal with, now that she’s gone.  It is really difficult to accept it. We feel like a motherless nation now– we feel so alone.

Even so… this was also a strange week wherein I got two of my wishes granted which cheered me up somehow.  It has something to do with two of my most favorite celebrities in the world  – John Cusack and Trent Reznor! One I made actual contact with and the other I get to see live in person!

I know I should be giddy and excited about it. But every time I think back about Mommy Cory’s passing, I shed hot tears all over again.  Such an emotional roller coaster week this is… along with a bipolar, roller coaster weather (rainy…sunny …rainy… sunny…) to match it.

I would like to share some of the lovely, poignant pictures that my older brother, Ito, took since Cory’s death last Saturday.  Living and working in close proximity to the places where he took these pictures, he was able to capture these historical moments superbly.  The captions are also from his FB album pages, too (If you wish to repost these pix in your website or blog, kindly ask for permission first – These pix aren’t mine… and even I had to ask permission from him. K? Thanks.):

“August 3, 2009. President Cory was transfered this afternoon to the Manila Cathedral. Thousands line up to view her remains and pay their respect at the cathedral. Meanwhile hundreds more are trooping to the Aquino residence along Times st., Quezon City.“

“They linger in front of the candles and offer their prayers to the President. And probably many are also praying for Hope and Change for the country.”

“1 am, Aug. 4. And they continued to line up so that they can pay their respects to the President at the Manila Cathedral.”

“Despite the intermittent downpour of rain, they continued to wait patiently for their turn. The line snaked in front of the cathedral and extended almost all the way to Manila City Hall outside the walls of Intramuros.”

“4pm, Aug. 4, Necrological Service at the Manila Cathedral.”

“An opportunity to earn a little money…”

“Aug. 5, 1pm. The people are waiting for the funeral cortege to pass through. This was at the corner of Roxas blvd and Quirino Avenue.”

“Finally, the coffin of Pres. Cory with the military honor guards on top of a truck.”

“L for Laban! Not anymore Loser.”

BTW, even if Cory did not have a state funeral (the family refused the offer from the current administration on account of political -and personal-differences), she was still better off without one.  I think her wake, cortege, and burial were truly well-organized, beautiful and touching.  I would like to congratulate everyone who made all these possible — the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, all the singers, musicians, choirs, the nuns, the military honors, the guards, the police, the priests, the people who lined up at the wake, and walked beside her before she was laid to rest. I would also like to commend the reporters, too, especially those from GMA Channel 7 – the Kapuso Network - that made it possible for millions of Filipinos (here and abroad) to take part in the ‘virtual vigil’ during their unselfish, tireless, almost 24/7 coverage of the events via their free online livestreaming tribute page! You all make me truly proud of being a Filipino – especially when we band together – we can REALLY make things happen!

Para kay Mommy Cory, mabuhay po tayong lahat!