Simple Thoughts of Mine

Posts Tagged ‘Marikina’

Tuesday was the day when we started cleaning the house with minimal water supply because of the simultaneous usage of water in most area in Rizal and Marikina.  I didn’t able to work for one week (Thank God the agency gave us 5-day special emergency leave),  I didn’t have to use my vacation leave.  It took us 3 complete weeks to finish the cleanings.  Whew!  But there was a problem with our tap water.  It turned out to be unpotable, so we need some water filters or buy distilled/mineral water.

Life after Ondoy was not easy especially to those who lost their loved ones.  Not to mention  the properties Ondoy had wrecked.  But life won’t stop there, we must move on.  With God’s help and friends as well, I was able to recover from the tragedy easily.  And I am so enthusiast that I’m continuing my life with my family and Sean.

After over a month now, this is the only time that I’m gonna write about the killer typhoon Ondoy.  It was September 26, 2009 morning at around 5:30 a.m. when I received a text from my sister-in-law asking me to take over her from watching my brother who was confined at Victoria’s Hospital in Marikina.  Since the weather is calm and no trace that it would be a rainy day, I rushed to the hospital equipped with two MSI netbooks (my brother’s and mine)  since I know I’ll be there for the whole day.

At around 9 o’clock in the morning, the rain started to pour.  But it didn’t give anyone of us in the hospital worry that it would become a disaster since the rain is not that hard and there’s no gusty wind.  At around one in the afternoon, I received a text from my cousin Amy telling me to go home because according to her our house is already submerged in flood.  I replied with “Am I the one you are texting? It might be a mis send”  because for the entire 6 years of living in Cainta Greenpark, Rizal there were never an instance of flood in my area.  She replied back saying…. “Yes it’s you who I am texting, Gina and Sean (househelp and my son) already evacuated to your neighbor “, who happened to have a 2-storey house…

to be continued…

Let me tell you a story of a teen-age boy who had been in a deep slumber and now showing his strong will and determination.  This person is very close to me.  I won’t mention his name for privacy reason.  One day during his last year in elementary, he stopped from going to school for he had a very strong inferiority complex about his built (he is too fat).  The reason for such behavior…his classmates bullied him for being so big.  His teachers, guidance counselor of the school (Our Lady of Succor College) and his immediate family convinced him to go back to school, but noone succeeded.  Since that day, he seldom go out of the house as if he prisoned himself.  I remember seeing him only when there’s a fire in the neighborhood and everyone have to go out (we are neighbors in Marikina).  He was like that for 7 to 8 long years. 

Then one day, I received a call from his eldest sister asking me about the acceleration tests that this young man’s telling them.  Since I am working in Department of Education I told her all the information about the examinations.  His sister told me that he wants to go back to school.  Well of course the whole family were glad to hear this from him. His family were so supportive of him and sent him in a review center right away.  He then applied for 2 accelaration exams in DepEd – Division of Marikina City namely Philippine Education Placement Test (PEPT) for overage students presently enrolled and Acceleration and Equivalency (A&E) for out-of-school youth. Took the exams and waited for the results.

One day when I went to Marikina, I was so surprised when I saw this young man wearing a white uniform!  Yes!  He passed the A & E and now in college. Isn’t that amazing?!!  By the way, I asked him one time when we went out what made him realized that he wants to go back to school.  He simply answered me “When he turned 18, he just thought of going back to school”. 

I just hope that this story inspires people who have the same situation like his.