Simple Thoughts of Mine

Posts Tagged ‘Typhoon Ondoy’

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.

Today that we’re on global crisis, we must spend our money wisely and thriftly.  One way is by saving electricity and water consumption.  Right after the typhoon Ondoy, our electric consumption went down because of long brownouts.  But our water bill escalated up because of the cleanings that we made of Ondoy’s trace.  I discovered a little way of saving water… by using rain barrels…  If you don’t have it, better buy one.  It’s very effective.  Position it under rain spouts or heavy run off areas from roofs.  You may use the rain water in watering plants, cleaning and laundry too.  Just wanna share.

I can’t sleep well that night.  I went down again at around 4 am and saw that the flood subsided.  At around 6 am, I phoned Ate Ime (my sister-in-law) that she had to replace me coz I badly need to go home.  She came at around 8 am and I left the hospital.  I had to go home that morning on feet.  It is about 7 kms. away from my place.  On my way home, I tracked muddy and messy streets.  People are so busy cleaning up the traces Ondoy had left.  I just can’t believe what I saw… It was a tremendous disaster!

I reached the main gate of Green Park Village in Cainta, Rizal  at around noon only to found out that the village was still flooded.  I seated with the other residents at the waiting shed and heard different stories of their experiences.  I felt hungry and decided to buy something to eat and to have something for my family and friends.  I walked to Q-Plaza and discovered that Mercury Drug and Tropical Hut Stores are mobbed by people.  I had no strength to struggle there because I felt that I gonna faint. No water, no food, no medicine (not to mention the hot weather) to take but I still managed to buy at the carinderia from a long line for rice and fried eggs.  Yes you read it right! an-hour line just for rice and fried eggs!  Anyway I was relieved from hunger. 

I went back to the gate with  the take home foods.  I waited for the water to subside a little coz I’m afraid that the netbook I am carrying will soak to the flood.  At around 4 pm I saw Janet (my neighbor) who will try to wade home.  I went with her and discovered that the water was still around 3 to 4 ft.  I reached Vangie’s house (where Sean and Gina evacuated) and spent our overnight.

It was Monday morning when we managed to go back to our house and shocked with what I saw.  Muddy mattress, furnitures, appliances, motorbike, the whole house!!!  Oh my God, we don’t know where to start the cleaning… I felt tired even without starting yet…

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…