What Happened:
Yesterday was crazy. Metro Manila was submerged in floods due to Ondoy, a signal number 1 typhoon. Everything was in chaos: heavy rains, floods that grew higher than 10 feet, tremendous traffic, impassable roads, people are on top of their roofs, panics everywhere, evacuation on going, everyone is stressed…
Actress Cristine Reyes was on rooftop of their house during Ondoy.
De La Salle University (DLSU), Taft during Ondoy.
C5 road during Ondoy.
I love how this photo was taken. 
Is that a 2008 Honda CRV? Terrible.. we can only see its roof.
According to the weather report, the reason that floods grew as high as this was because the first 6 hours of rain pour that happened yesterday is equivalent to 24 hours pour in a normal rainy day. The amount of water was just too much for the drainage system to bear at short span of time. Everyone was caught off guard, even the government. It seems Ondoy was underestimated, no one expected that a signal number 1 typhoon could result to this kind of devastation.
Where Are You?
Thank God that I was stranded….. at home. As I saw the traffic outside I went back inside the house, never thought that chaos is already transpiring out there. When our basement got flooded by 2 inches, I told myself “o oh..if our basement got flooded, perhaps some houses are already submerged.” Because our house’s elevation is already very high.
Basically I was at home the whole time worried about my family and friends.
I don’t know why, but deep inside I wish that I was also out there experiencing Ondoy. I kind of felt guilty that I’m safe and warmed as I saw everyone else battling the typhoon.
What Have You Done?
I felt really sad that all I can do was pray and connect to the internet to Twitter – to tweet and retweet valuable information. Being hopeful that my tweet will go a long way, I just tweeted the entire afternoon. Tweeted about the rescue hot lines, people who needs help, updates on the flooded location, etc.
I would like to extend the appreciation to these media tweeps who really expressed great concerns to our society: @juliusbabao @tjmanotoc @boysnightout899 They really did their part well. They tweeted valuable infos about Ondoy and you can also send them the names, location, number of the person who needs rescue. They’ll air it for the rescue team to be aware.
I must say that I also truly appreciate Twitter. I know Twitter is a success as it had saved many lives yesterday. I know what I did was not an Action Star or Heroic type of deed, but I know that someway somehow I have also saved some lives..or at least took a person’s anxiety/worry away.
Some Thoughts…
Ondoy was just another storm in our life that made or will make us stronger. Yes, what happened to us yesterday was a disaster. But I think one way or another we have learned or realized something that made us a better person today. I know we have also appreciated something that we never see it’s value before. Stop blaming, stop hating. Nobody wants this to happen (except for one person I guess). I say look into the bright side, because if we don’t, it’s like letting Ondoy do damage in our life TWICE.
Don’t let the disaster pass without leaving something beautiful.
How about you? What’s your Ondoy experience?
**Check out some Typhoon Ondoy Videos.
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