A Glance to our worst and unexpected nightmare

A Glance to our worst and unexpected nightmare

September 26, 2009. Bagyong Ondoy hit Metro manila. Many were surprised and shocked about what had happened and the typhoon definitely caused huge and absolutely high floods…

(this pic: this was our neighbor’s house looked like the day after the tragedy… just in front of our house...)

Morning of sept. 26, I was at work. It was already raining hard around 2:30 am bec that’s the time that I need to go to work. Some of our workmates were late because the streets were already flooded. But we still finished our 8-9 hour of work in call center regardless of that scenario and then…

I received a text message from my tita and my mom, who was in our house around 12:00 in the afternoon. It was about my logout from work but I didn’t go home. The text message says: “ WAG KNA UMUWI DITO SA BAHAY… HANGGANG TERRACE NA ANG BAHA!!!”…


I was "WHHAATTT?"! I don’t know what to do. It seemed funny anywiez when I read that message, because I cant really even imagine that it could happen. I replied: “HINDI NGA??? HANGGANG TERRACE NA ANG BAHA?? SO LAGPAS TAO NA TUBIG JAN SA BAHAY??!!”… and they answered “OO!!!”…


I still cant believe that time. I’m already out from my work but I’m still in the office waiting for my workmates to finish. And my workmate also received a text from her lola, saying almost the same thing: “LUBOG NA BAHAY NATIN, ANDITO AKO SA KAPITBAHAY…”.
I texted my brother to confirm that, and yes it was DEFINITELY TRUE. My brother was on his work as well, so the people there in our house were my mom,dad, and our pet dog, together with my tita and family.


My workmates and I went outside from our office to see what’s happening outside. There we witnessed a lot of stranded people waiting for a jeep or any kind of transportation for them to go to their destination. While standing outside of Robinson’s Novaliches, the wind and the rain was scary. You can feel the cold, and you can almost see people shaking from coldness because they were already wet by rain and stranded… and that time, I still don’t know what to do… my cellphone’s battery is lowbatt… I really don’t know what to do… I asked my workmates if I can stay with them just for the mean time, but they also didn’t know if they were affected as well…


Before we go to our separate ways, we decided to have dinner in Tokyo Tokyo, SM Fairview. Around 6 pm, some of the stores inside the mall were already closed. Its quite unusual isn’t it?... I received another text from my mom saying; “TTXT KA NLANG NAMIN KUNG KELAN KA UUWI”… and that time, I knew how worst the scenario was. I even cried in front of my workmates. I want to go home, but how can I manage to do that if the flood is as high as our 2nd floor?!!.. I just cried… I decided to sleep in our work’s sleeping quarters.


I can’t sleep, knowing that my family is merely in danger but thanked GOD they were fine. Next day, Sunday, sept 27, after work, I went home. The flood has been gone Saturday night. But you can still see muds everywhere. i was like a tourist when I went home. As if im looking everywhere for some beautiful scenic view – but what I saw were trees cut down, house without roofs, sofa beds, beds, appliances, clothes… anything were outside their house. All ruined by flood and mud. It was a nightmare. Philippines was in a state of calamity. And our subdivision was able to face this nightmare for the first time…

( most garbage were scattered… also those cars were all submerged to flood and the owners, found their car in other street…)

Some of our appliances were already submerged to flood. Our refrigerator, kitchen wares, and all what you can see in living and dining rooms were all submerged and some were already destroyed by flood. Picture frames, figurines, collectible items, and many more were also affected. Thanked God again because the computer, our new TV, and some electric fans were saved, even most of our clothes, and some things which can be carry easily…


It took us 1 week to clean the mess that Ondoy has done. Actually, it was not fully cleaned up yet, because 1 week is not enough. Until now, we are still cleaning some of out things, and some clothes and blankets were still not being sent to laundry. It seems that we’re still new to our house, as if we’re just moved house, because its empty inside. As if we’re starting again – decorating, arranging things, and many more. But we’re not the only one, all residence in the subdivision – all were affected by Ondoy.


This was also the first time that we have received some goods from our relatives. Unlike before that we are the one who always give something to them to help; now, they have returned back the kindness that we’ve given to them. We’ve received some goods, foods, and even blankets and pillows, and also the ABS-CBN sagip kapamilya was able to send their help in our area. THANK YOU!!! Even our company where we work was able to give us some help…


Right now, it is still a traumatic experience for all of us. Especially whenever it rains and there will be new typhoons, our mindset is now different – hoping that it will not going to happen again – hoping that everything will be just going fine and all of us will be in safe and in good condition – hopefully, it will…


And like what I’ve said, were now starting a new life… we are now moving on from that traumatic nightmare that we have experienced. We are not losing hope, we have positive outlook in the future. I know that this would not be the worst nightmare that we might be experiencing, but at least, we have gone through all of this, and we are just preparing ourselves for the next trials which will be coming in our life.