A Nightmare Resurrected

The Philippines is hit yet again by another calamity, in fact, two in a span of 3 weeks.

The magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Bohol and its neighboring islands, including Cebu, last October 15. I was here when it happened and it was frightening. I was in the second floor, in my room about to sleep when everything shook. I was paralyzed for a few seconds; observing, hoping and praying that it’ll only last 5 seconds, but it did not. It lasted forever for me. It was scary trying to get down with the whole house shaking so violently. I didn’t even make it out of the house. My shaking knees collapsed at the foot of the stairs where me, my tita and my cousins crouched down and prayed. When we went out to the open grounds in a nearby church we learned that 5 people died instantly after the market ceiling collapsed on them. It was frightening being with hundreds of people who are panicked and shocked. Your own fear increases every time they collectively scream and run around. This earthquake reduced so many beautiful churches and buildings to rubbles, left many buildings unsafe for occupancy and ended lives. The aftershocks still continue as of this writing and every time the ground shakes, my heart jumps right at my throat - that never changed, there’s no getting used to it.

Two weeks after, while the people of Bohol still in their makeshift tents, they were put in another heartbreaking situation. There was a tropical depression and a flash flood hit some parts of the island. Meanwhile, the news of a brewing super typhoon spread. The government all urged us to prepare for the upcoming storm. It is said to be stronger than Ruping – the storm that ravaged Cebu in the 90’s. The local government suspended work and classes so that the people can be with their families. Nationwide, forced evacuations were initiated. There were some who voluntarily went to the evac centers even before they were opened – this was from the same people who have weathered previous flooding. Sa binasaya pa “nikaon na ug tagam”. People here in Cebu have stocked up, some hoarded on provisions: food, candles, water; flashlights were sold out! Some would say there was over preparation, I don’t care! I believe it is better that way. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.

Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda, reached the Philippine Islands on November 8. I went home on a very gloomy and a very foreboding Friday morning. The office was offering our building as temporary shelter for us and our families. Unlike sending, we were informed this time. We had time to prepare. I was able to catch one of the few cabs still plowing through the streets and got home safe. I tried to sleep the day away but the wind outside is very scary. We lost power and the tap stopped flowing. It was the scariest storm I have ever witnessed. I was anticipating heavy rainfall, but no, Haiyan had something else in store. The wind, this was the killer xfactor that made this storm one of the destructive in living memory. The wind was literally howling. You’d feel like you are in a giant washing machine being dried. The wind shook our house and made ferocious attempts to tear of roofs. I heard a neighbor frantically hammering so that their roof will not be blown away.

I was hoping against hope that there were no huge casualties since we had time to prepare. We were cut off any news till our power came back on. We heard of Tacloban, of Northern Cebu, of Capiz, of IloIlo, Ormoc, of Ilo-ilo all washed out. My heart broke and I cried when the whole impact of what really happened hit me. I have not gotten over Sendong. Yes, it was 2 years ago and my beloved CDO may have “moved on”, the lives of the people have moved on. But I still get frightened and scared to the bones every time a storm or even a tropical depression passes by CDO. I was convinced that this nightmare will not happen again, calamities this magnitude does not happen every so often, or so I thought. When Pablo hit Davao and killed so many just barely a year after Sendong, I distanced myself. I did not read the news; I did not watch any news related to that, after I asked all my friends who are from Davao if they are ok. I did not want the same feeling of panic and helplessness to overcome me again. Now the same feeling of desperation and helplessness overpowered me, coupled with the fact that I have relatives all over this affected areas, made everything worse, worst.

They say you won’t really feel this much if you have not experienced it yourself. You know that feeling when you heard that something grave happened and when you call your Mom, Dad, brothers and sister and they can’t be reached? You know the feeling of dialing a number of your high school friends that you got more than 8 years ago and it’s not ringing and you don’t know if its just because they changed phone numbers over the years, or they don’t have power, or they dropped their phone in the water, or if they got swept away by the flood? You know the feeling of seeing heartbreaking images of your hometown covered in mud, images of obliterated villages? You know the feeling of hearing about people who survived the storm, only to die in some after-storm illnesses and how their families have hoped and then broke down again? You know the feeling of knowing friends of the family who lost his entire family and how guilty he is for surviving? These things I will never wish even to my worst enemy, even to the most corrupt politician. You see, this is why I am so affected, why I am so sensitive, why my heart breaks everytime I watch/read the news.

Haiyan is the Sendong nightmare resurrected, only so much more. These people, these communities needs help, long term help. Hopefully they won’t be abandoned or set aside as new issues come to our land.

I would also like to thank this opportunity to thank the international community for helping my kababayan in their times of need. As long as we are one, I’m sure that the resilient Filipino spirit will rise stronger and with heads on high.