Typhoon "Ondoy" in a blink of an eye

It took me a while to to grasp the reality of the recent storm “Ondoy”. I was at home last Saturday comfortable and lazy. My friends kept sending messages about the flooded streets Manila, Ortigas and Makati, worst they were exhausted and hungry. At the back of my mind I was thinking, what’s new? Everytime a typhoon hits the Philippines we hear tragedies—floods, people drowning, houses collapsing, landslides, accidents side by side. But this rain was far from the ordinary. It has been 2 days already and it seems like he rains wouldn’t even stop. The clouds were thick and dark and at 3pm it looks like it’s almost night time.

I decided go to SM Fairview to buy groceries. But the roads were impassable. What I’ve seen was enough to confirm that something had definitely gone wrong. We cannot come out of our place (Lagro Subd.) because the main roads were all flooded. It’s our first time to experience such flooding in our area which is much higher than any area in Quezon City.

Some friends kept on messaging about the flooded areas and how they were walking on the streets and stranded. We cannot do anything but hope they’ll be home soon to rest. It was a silent evening.

Electricity and phone lines were down in our area from Saturday to Monday.

The next day, I managed to get some news. I stayed in my friends’ house to watch the news because we don’t have electricity yet. And yes, what we’ve seen happening in areas so near to us was a shocking experience.

Fairview’s flood reached to chest levels. Fairview Elementary School was flooded. Houses in the creek side near Lagro were washed out. Flood waters reached 2 story houses in SSS Village and nearby subdivision. There were thousands of people on top of the roofs waiting for rescues. So many cities were submerged in water, Marikina, Pasig, Malabon, Manila area and the government wasn’t ready to provide assistance. There were very limited rubber boats for rescuing. Manila in itself is too big, together with its surrounding cities. There were text messages coming from the nearby provinces like Bulacan, but there were no means to reach the people. In the news people were just too helpless to see people drowning, getting electrecuted or cars being washed out. Most of the people in the affected areas fought for survival.For once we felt there were no barriers between the rich and the poor.Afluent villages were not even spared. The shanty's along creeks were washed out and to date many are still missing.

In Largo we were safe, we are in higher grounds but the surrounding areas are so much in need of relief, food and rescue. We’ve seen in the news many volunteers rescuing, sending life vest, boats and providing assistance. It is a comforting moment. But the efforts are not enough.. There were still places unreached and many people in need up to now.

How about Paaralang Pantao children? Payatas? Erap City?