TYPHOON ONDOY - September '09

An Experience wrote by my cousin....


Dear All,

What a disastrous and unforgettable experience I have yesterday during the typhoon Ondoy.Pag-asa said we are only signal no.1 but it rained so hard which is already equivalent to 1 month of rainfall.

The night before that, Sept. 25,2009 we were in Araneta to attend the last day wake of a friend's relative and even went home before 12:00 MN. It was not even raining that hard but pouring continuosly. Early 8:30 am of Sept 26,2009 I went to work due to backlog loads and it was not even raining so hard. Around 9:00 am the skies are colored black already and the wind is so strong as seen from our windows in the 16th floor. Little by little the water in the streets went higher and higher until it reached waist level. One step more it will already go inside our building lobby and if it happens they are going to shut off all the elevators already. Feeling ko parang titanic na...noh ba yan!..... Around 1:45 pm inspite the continous downpour of rain me and my officemate decided to go home inspite all circumstances we will encounter along the way. Suicide na kami. If we will stay put the more we cant go home.

We went down the basement and passed at the side of our building which the water is only knee high. We walked from Makati Med till Reposo near Jupiter and St.Andrews church going kina Paling. ( my cousin ). We were able to ride a taxi from there but stopped at the foot bridge of Makati Mandaluyong bridge because down there the way is not passable. Walking through we saw that Ilog Pasig already overflowed.Ngeee! Walking our way down, I am hesitant to take the last step na. Many are walking in the rain and no choice... need ko lumusong. The water is dirty and cold. I was thinking mas malinis pa yata ang tubig pag bumaha dun sa atin. Wala na.....have to walk through. I've been making calls and texts to Rodel, some friends and officemates of our experience...even told them not to pass by here and better stay put in the office and be safe. At first it's only knee high until it reached waist level na...I've been walking in the center barefooted with my friends with all the sand and stones pricking our soles. Kawawa naman ako! I already wanted to cry because of the the situation we are here.Barangka area we were able to ride a tricycle to Sambahayan ...tired, sighing and soaking wet! Grabe....... i arrived after 4pm home and directly go to wash up. Have been calling my staff in the office,relatives and friends to check on them also. Brown out! Our means of updating ourselves with the situation is only thru radio. We cant sleep also and pinakikiramdaman ang paligid kasi bumaha din dito sa condo. In fact, Leo's house was flooded. Good Rodel was home and no work kaya he was the one looking and watching the condition here sa condo . We have lights around 12:00MN and we still managed to watch TV to update ourselves.

On the other hand, the house in Marikina was flooded. Annie, Papa and the 4 kids were all alone there and the water reached till shoulder level inside the house. Lahat ng gamit sa baba was destroyed. The ref is floating and all other things inside the house. The owner was totally submerged and some of their neighbora and relatives stayed with them sa second floor ng house. Though they're okey na we still dont know what will happen next. All roads going to their area is not passable till today.Hay......

Now, I realized that life is so short. In a glimpse when God calls you.. you cant do anything! No paalams...nothing whatsover! Good we are all safe inspite of what happened.
God bless and always stay safe. ALWAYS PRAY FOR GUIDANCE AND SAFETY.

God bless and best regards,
Neneng ( Len )