The day the world went away. A post Ondoy special (Halo-Halo espesyal #12)

Listening to: Shiny Toy Guns - You are the One (2006 We Are Pilots)

Right now, I feel: Relieved

First of all, I am so sorry if I was on a MIA here on my blog. I was really busy with lots of things. After what happened to our country, I skipped blogging just for me to be updated.

It has been a week since Ondoy made a mark in our country. All emotions are mixed during the whole week. I remember having a good sleep on September 25 then waking up the next day in as I thought will be a sunny afternoon, since it was raining the whole night. But then I was surprised that it just continued to rain. I began watching the TV for update and I was surprised that almost the whole metro was flooded. The first thing I spotted on TV was Mother Ingacia Street which was like 10 minutes away from my place. It was flooded neck high! I was like really surprised! I started to check my facebook and twitter. Instead of the normal day to day activities I was expecting from people, everyone was posting updates about the storm. Then I was alarmed when the band Up Dharma Down posted on their twitter and facebook that Provident Village in Marikina was flooded neck high and that their vocalist Armi Millare was stuck in their house. People started to post the trunk lines for PAG-ASA and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). Everyone was doing their share. Everyone was alarmed as more people get stranded and worst, places that aren't usually flooded was affected already with flood as high as 30 feet!

I started to look for updates from any source I can get. From internet, TV and radio. I was even re-posting tweets and updates from my friends in twitter and facebook. For the purpose of getting those information go around other people. For the first time in my entire life, I began to give a damn on what's happening around me. Instead of whining how I was stuck in my house with out doing nothing, and thinking how luck I was as my whole family was not even affected by a flood at all. I decided to help everyone. As I sit facing my laptop, I started to post and re-post information that can be passed around. I felt compelled to help as Ondoy was sending a message to everyone. "Right back at ya!" If typhoons can speak, Ondoy will definitely say this to us. Nobody is exempted to nature's wrath. It doesn't give a shit if you're rich, you'll really feel his wrath.

I keep on re-posting info on my twitter and facebook for the rest of Saturday night until dawn. Resuming it by Sunday afternoon till the dawn again. Monday night, my sister was buying water for my niece and I was listening to Jam 88.3 and a listener asked about the contact number for the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) in Quezon City. They are looking for volunteers at that time. I didn't get the number to contact PNRC, I told my sister that I will go there and see what I can do to help. I wasn't thinking anything at that time. It just came naturally to my mind. It seems like my instinct was telling me that night to help and so I did.

I went to PNRC in Quezon City Hall which was like a 10 minute walk from my place. I went there and saw people there waiting. I was given instructions on what to do. We'll go to the Main PNCR in Port Area, Manila to repack the relief goods. We arrived there like 1 am and ended around 6 am.

It was a great feeling to be able to help. It's the least I can do to give something to the people that got really affected by the typhoon.

The rest of the week was more on follow ups on what happened around the metro. I still can't believe that the eastern part of the metro was really affected. Marikina, Rizal and Pasig are the ones really hit hard by Ondoy.

But what I hate about the situation is that politicians takes a slow response on the calamity. It was more of private sectors starting to help. From schools, TV networks and fast food chains, everyone is helping. But the trapos are nowhere to be found. There are even pictures of politicians giving out food with their name on it. Doing the trapo moves to everyone, these politicians really makes me puke and spit it out on their faces. I just wish I can have a chance to do that to them. It will be one of the best moments in my life.

On the brighter side of life, people are helping out the whole week. From stars and TV networks which I really give my kudos for. They really give way to some of their shows to give us updates on what they need as donations and what's the development of other areas that were really affected by Ondoy.

It was a real shocker for everyone as how devastating Ondoy did to us. Good thing that Pepeng, though it scared the shit out of us, spared our country. Though Pepeng is wreaking havoc on the northern part of Luzon, I don't see any alarming incident that's going on there. I just hope and pray that everything will be ok, after such big storms.

I can't wait for the sun to come up again and shine upon us as we hope for a new tomorrow.