Of heavy rains, epic floods, and medical missions
Right now as I am making this entry, people in my area, that is, Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces are confounded by the recent disaster that hit Metro Manila and some provinces of Luzon, due to the heavy flooding that occurred in just a span of 6 hours yesterday. It was really baffling, especially to me who is not used to heavy flooding. When I was small, I only see those exaggerated floods on televisions. I never thought that I'd see the day that I'd experience it first hand. Though, I am really, really, really thankful that God protected me from any harm. I was one of those very few people in Metro Manila who didn't have to traverse the knee-deep, waist-deep, or neck-deep water. Thank God I am not one of those people who were displaced from their own homes, though I am really, really sorry for them. I hope those people whose homes are flooded could find comfort and relief despite of their current situation.
Here are just some of the news about the flood yesterday (September 26, 2009):
edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/26/philippines.floods/index.html
newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090927-227074/Too-much-rain-too-soon
newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090927-227130/51-dead-280000-displaced-by-Ondoy
Anyway, let me just relate my personal experience on the flood (Local code name: Ondoy ; International code name: Ketsana). My day actually started really early, and I started it just like I would any other day. I wasn't warned of any typhoon that is hitting the Philippines, or Luzon particularly. I awoke at around 5 AM, and at that time, it was already raining, but it wasn't heavy. So, I was never armed for the kind of day or night that I would have. After doing the dawn prayer, and after readying myself, I went to McDonalds to meet with my friends who were coming to Quezon City for a Medical mission in a barangay near UP Diliman (University of the Philippines Diliman). All of us weren't ready for the typhoon because it was broadcasted that a certain typhoon would hit the country on Monday, not Saturday. And nobody expected the intensity of it.
So, after having our breakfast, we headed to UP Diliman, not minding the mild rain. When we arrived at the site at around 7 AM, the rain was STILL mild for we even managed to run to the place without our umbrellas. BUT. As we were preparing for the said medical mission, the downpour of the rain picked up its pace, and it just kept on going faster and heavier, and wilder. Thankfully, the basketball court where we were holding the mission had a roof, though it wasn't able to keep us dry. So, we conducted the mission wet. *laugh* Imagine, my shoes were wet from around 8 AM until 5 PM. WHOA. Gross, isn't it? But that wouldn't par even the slightest with the kind of devastation that other people in Luzon went through. The med mission was fulfilling despite of the heavy rain (and while we were conducting it, not one of us knew of the severity of the typhoon that was striking us). Until this time, I and my friends were still happy despite being wet. The med mission ended at around 1 PM, and take note, the rain was extremely heavy at this point. We were hoping we could at least get to the train station to be able to come back home. But no. My friend who had a car tried to drive us to the station but the traffic was just too heavy that we just didn't dare. So we came back to UP Diliman campus, hoping that the rain would subside, and that the waters on the roads would subside, and that we would be able to come home, and do our usual stuff (by this, i mean studying XO). But no. We were stuck in the Bahay ng Alumni for hours and hours. We waited for we were still hoping we could traverse the then already flooded roads. Thankfully, there was a restaurant in the Bahay ng Alumni, and we weren't starved. Actually, our food was even good than my everyday meal. Until then, the day was still happy because we weren't still aware of the happenings in other areas in Metro Manila. So we finished our sumptuous (literally) meal, and afterwards, we attempted to come back to the car, assuming that the flood has already subsided. But, but, but! We received the news that there was NO WAY IN OR OUT OF UP DILIMAN. Shucks. We were stranded. So, we waited a little bit longer, hoping that the rain would wane, but until past 5 PM, the rain was still pouring. Fortunately, we received the message that the road to my friend's house is already passable. That was in Pasig. We decided to stay there for the time being, and we waited still, and hoped that the roads would be passable for us. But hah.
When we were finally able to turn on the television, we were really really susprised with the severity of the typhoon. I was shocked. I even saw in the news those people who were riding on a raft, desperately trying to save a few people who were being carried away by the waves. A guy was almost drowning in a particular river. :( The streets were literally submerged in water, in most parts of the Metro. Thankfully, the place where we were staying wasn't flooded. But what the news said baffled me, and I thought WE HAD IT BAD. Man, we didn't. We were even LUCKY. I can't imagine what the people who were displaced by the flood felt. Imagine, even famous people, and powerful people weren't saved from the rage of the typhoon. How much more for those unfortunate ones who didn't have sturdy and high houses? The traffic was HORRIBLE (which was the prime reason why we didn't dare come home). We were afraid to be stranded in the streets. And it was a wise decision for us to stay in my friend's place, really. And thanks to that, we even had another sumptuous meal for dinner.
At around 10 PM, we tried our luck if we could pass the roads to Manila. But no, the car which was supposed to bring us to our respective places came back to my friend's house because the traffic was literally tight. So, we ended up spending our night at my friend's. *sigh* Somehow, that's a good thing because I gained friends from that experience. I mean, I wasn't really close to most of the people who was with me at the time. In fact, I was close to only one of them. But due to our shared experience that day, our bonds got stronger. Or so I think. And I'm happy about that. :p
But still, I still feel bad for those people who even had to evacuate to higher places to be safe. But it's during these times do we feel the unity of one nation. Many people extended their help to the ones who were affected. Many endorsements and companies and individuals donated goods and clothes for the unfortunate ones.
This disaster is a disaster. It's bad, or more appropriately said, it's horrible. But it has also brought a few perks with it. It kindled the compassion of most people. And I AM REALLY HOPING AND PRAYING that the people who were devastated by Ondoy to be able to survive this, and go on with their lives.
Here are just some of the news about the flood yesterday (September 26, 2009):
edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/26/philippines.floods/index.html
newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090927-227074/Too-much-rain-too-soon
newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090927-227130/51-dead-280000-displaced-by-Ondoy
Anyway, let me just relate my personal experience on the flood (Local code name: Ondoy ; International code name: Ketsana). My day actually started really early, and I started it just like I would any other day. I wasn't warned of any typhoon that is hitting the Philippines, or Luzon particularly. I awoke at around 5 AM, and at that time, it was already raining, but it wasn't heavy. So, I was never armed for the kind of day or night that I would have. After doing the dawn prayer, and after readying myself, I went to McDonalds to meet with my friends who were coming to Quezon City for a Medical mission in a barangay near UP Diliman (University of the Philippines Diliman). All of us weren't ready for the typhoon because it was broadcasted that a certain typhoon would hit the country on Monday, not Saturday. And nobody expected the intensity of it.
So, after having our breakfast, we headed to UP Diliman, not minding the mild rain. When we arrived at the site at around 7 AM, the rain was STILL mild for we even managed to run to the place without our umbrellas. BUT. As we were preparing for the said medical mission, the downpour of the rain picked up its pace, and it just kept on going faster and heavier, and wilder. Thankfully, the basketball court where we were holding the mission had a roof, though it wasn't able to keep us dry. So, we conducted the mission wet. *laugh* Imagine, my shoes were wet from around 8 AM until 5 PM. WHOA. Gross, isn't it? But that wouldn't par even the slightest with the kind of devastation that other people in Luzon went through. The med mission was fulfilling despite of the heavy rain (and while we were conducting it, not one of us knew of the severity of the typhoon that was striking us). Until this time, I and my friends were still happy despite being wet. The med mission ended at around 1 PM, and take note, the rain was extremely heavy at this point. We were hoping we could at least get to the train station to be able to come back home. But no. My friend who had a car tried to drive us to the station but the traffic was just too heavy that we just didn't dare. So we came back to UP Diliman campus, hoping that the rain would subside, and that the waters on the roads would subside, and that we would be able to come home, and do our usual stuff (by this, i mean studying XO). But no. We were stuck in the Bahay ng Alumni for hours and hours. We waited for we were still hoping we could traverse the then already flooded roads. Thankfully, there was a restaurant in the Bahay ng Alumni, and we weren't starved. Actually, our food was even good than my everyday meal. Until then, the day was still happy because we weren't still aware of the happenings in other areas in Metro Manila. So we finished our sumptuous (literally) meal, and afterwards, we attempted to come back to the car, assuming that the flood has already subsided. But, but, but! We received the news that there was NO WAY IN OR OUT OF UP DILIMAN. Shucks. We were stranded. So, we waited a little bit longer, hoping that the rain would wane, but until past 5 PM, the rain was still pouring. Fortunately, we received the message that the road to my friend's house is already passable. That was in Pasig. We decided to stay there for the time being, and we waited still, and hoped that the roads would be passable for us. But hah.
When we were finally able to turn on the television, we were really really susprised with the severity of the typhoon. I was shocked. I even saw in the news those people who were riding on a raft, desperately trying to save a few people who were being carried away by the waves. A guy was almost drowning in a particular river. :( The streets were literally submerged in water, in most parts of the Metro. Thankfully, the place where we were staying wasn't flooded. But what the news said baffled me, and I thought WE HAD IT BAD. Man, we didn't. We were even LUCKY. I can't imagine what the people who were displaced by the flood felt. Imagine, even famous people, and powerful people weren't saved from the rage of the typhoon. How much more for those unfortunate ones who didn't have sturdy and high houses? The traffic was HORRIBLE (which was the prime reason why we didn't dare come home). We were afraid to be stranded in the streets. And it was a wise decision for us to stay in my friend's place, really. And thanks to that, we even had another sumptuous meal for dinner.
At around 10 PM, we tried our luck if we could pass the roads to Manila. But no, the car which was supposed to bring us to our respective places came back to my friend's house because the traffic was literally tight. So, we ended up spending our night at my friend's. *sigh* Somehow, that's a good thing because I gained friends from that experience. I mean, I wasn't really close to most of the people who was with me at the time. In fact, I was close to only one of them. But due to our shared experience that day, our bonds got stronger. Or so I think. And I'm happy about that. :p
But still, I still feel bad for those people who even had to evacuate to higher places to be safe. But it's during these times do we feel the unity of one nation. Many people extended their help to the ones who were affected. Many endorsements and companies and individuals donated goods and clothes for the unfortunate ones.
This disaster is a disaster. It's bad, or more appropriately said, it's horrible. But it has also brought a few perks with it. It kindled the compassion of most people. And I AM REALLY HOPING AND PRAYING that the people who were devastated by Ondoy to be able to survive this, and go on with their lives.