Not Quite the Aftermath
The storm known as Ondoy battered Manila and the surrounding areas, leaving a trail of destruction and hopelessness in his wake. Here's a little personal timeline for what I experienced, although it isn't as bad as what our other countrymen experienced. I hope everyone is safe. If not right now, soon.
The storm was rampaging through the metropolis early Saturday, and I was forced to stay the night in the office along with some other officemates. I was really worried about Tabs, Aby and Venus, who had to brave the storm just to try and get back home. As the night wore on, my brothers were updating me about the situation at home. It sounded pretty bad--so bad that they didn't want me to go home.
The next morning, I couldn't get a ride home and opted to go to my girlfriend's boarding house in QC instead. I was comfortable and dry there, and in loving arms. But I really can't bear the thought that I'm dry here while my family is suffering in Manila. I had to go home. At that point, I was also worried about my best friend, who wasn't replying to my texts. (He updated his FB earlier today). I ate lunch with Xanne and I immediately got on a bus at Philcoa after. Cubao. Sta. Mesa. Finally, Pandacan, Manila.
Truth is, I was never prepared for the sight that greeted me.
Pandacan was submerged, a halfway-Atlantis (if Atlantis was submerged in Caramel Frappe). I had to maneuver around five city blocks just to get to semi-dry paths. When I got home, the flood was still so bad. It turns out, the whole first floors of the 2 adjoined houses were trashed. Furniture, books, debris--they were scattered as if a tornado played hopscotch around them.
I started to help clean some time after I got home, and we're only about halfway through the task a day later. We lost a ton of stuff--appliances, books, furniture, documents, vintage Magic cards, among others--but this was still nothing compared to those still submerged in Pasig, Rizal, and Marikina. Yeah, we had it easy, unlike those in Provident and other similarly-affected areas.
In the end, I'm glad my family is safe. Sofas and books are easy to replace; loved ones, not so much. I just hope everyone else is doing fine. Like I said, if not right now, at least soon. The AME Wiki still has a lot of people whose conditions are unknown; I wish we hear from them soon and that they're okay.
Here's hoping those incoming storms don't hit us hard.
The storm was rampaging through the metropolis early Saturday, and I was forced to stay the night in the office along with some other officemates. I was really worried about Tabs, Aby and Venus, who had to brave the storm just to try and get back home. As the night wore on, my brothers were updating me about the situation at home. It sounded pretty bad--so bad that they didn't want me to go home.
The next morning, I couldn't get a ride home and opted to go to my girlfriend's boarding house in QC instead. I was comfortable and dry there, and in loving arms. But I really can't bear the thought that I'm dry here while my family is suffering in Manila. I had to go home. At that point, I was also worried about my best friend, who wasn't replying to my texts. (He updated his FB earlier today). I ate lunch with Xanne and I immediately got on a bus at Philcoa after. Cubao. Sta. Mesa. Finally, Pandacan, Manila.
Truth is, I was never prepared for the sight that greeted me.
Pandacan was submerged, a halfway-Atlantis (if Atlantis was submerged in Caramel Frappe). I had to maneuver around five city blocks just to get to semi-dry paths. When I got home, the flood was still so bad. It turns out, the whole first floors of the 2 adjoined houses were trashed. Furniture, books, debris--they were scattered as if a tornado played hopscotch around them.
I started to help clean some time after I got home, and we're only about halfway through the task a day later. We lost a ton of stuff--appliances, books, furniture, documents, vintage Magic cards, among others--but this was still nothing compared to those still submerged in Pasig, Rizal, and Marikina. Yeah, we had it easy, unlike those in Provident and other similarly-affected areas.
In the end, I'm glad my family is safe. Sofas and books are easy to replace; loved ones, not so much. I just hope everyone else is doing fine. Like I said, if not right now, at least soon. The AME Wiki still has a lot of people whose conditions are unknown; I wish we hear from them soon and that they're okay.
Here's hoping those incoming storms don't hit us hard.