The Great Equalizer

Floods - the great equalizer, as my Dad used to say. In the Philippines, the rainy season usually brings floods in low-lying areas, typhoon or no typhoon. So both rich and poor, gather their worldly possessions, however measly, and rush to higher ground once the waterways overflow. We have come to expect such inconveniences and we prepare ourselves and adjust our daily living as best as we can. In fact, Filipinos have become so used to "surprise downpours" that umbrellas and jackets are commonly stuffed in our bags once we leave the house. We never really relied on PAGASA that much..since nobody is really that dependable when it comes to typhoons. But nothing could have prepared anyone for what happened last weekend.

I was in Naga City when typhoon Ondoy first made landfall Friday PM. I was among its first victims, as I became stranded along with other travelers in the Bicol region. There was some wind and the skies were so cloudy the planes from Manila were simply sent back. I grumbled since I was worried about not leaving Jeni some extra cash. Sure there were still some groceries in the cupboard, but I failed to give Jeni some pocket money in case of emergencies. Naturally, Jeni was upset, but we both hoped I could get a return flight by the next day.

Saturday morning, I trudged back to the Naga airport. The Mnl-Naga-Mnl flights were back to normal, but by noon it was announced that our flight out would be delayed. We were told the planes could not leave Mnl since it was zero visibility due to heavy rains. I was part of the crowd that groaned in exasperation. We didn't realize what Manila residents were going through already. It wasn't until one of the passengers started laughing that it all dawned on us - he got a text message from a friend who took a land-trip the day before and that friend was stranded somewhere in Laguna because of floods.

I was texting Jeni since I knew our area in Araneta Avenue always flooded. I hoped she went home early after her call center shift. But true Jeni-fashion, she didn't; and instead, attended her team-building activity (read: drinking spree) somewhere in España. As such, she had to deal with the flood waters which were already rising to dangerous levels. Her last text to me at around 1:30PM was that she was somewhere near Araneta Ave at a waiting shed, soaked to the bone. She said she had to "wade" in floodwaters almost reaching up to a person's shoulders. Ok, that wasn't wading..that was swimming! And Jeni is by no means exceptionally "tall"...she's only 5 ft. for God's sake! And I shouldn't panic?! :( She would tell me later that a whole bus was submerged near Puregold - Araneta. Of course, she was still upset with me for pushing through with this trip. And I could understand why she would hate me now. Jeni doesn't really like thunderstorms and she has trouble sleeping when I am not around.

I started texting my family and friends as well. My family lives in the Kamias area which usually floods. At around 2PM, they said they were fine and they were more worried about me. They told me not to push through with my flight since it was dangerous. I had to tell them later my flight was eventually cancelled anyway. Both my sister and cousin fortunately have high, four-wheel drive vehicles, but they were unable to deal with the heavy traffic in the surrounding areas. They couldn't go near Katipunan or Quezon Ave. so my two nieces were stranded at Miriam College and St. Theresa's, respectively. All this time, I didn't know my eldest brother and his family in Pasig were in more dire straits. Their bungalow was located in Rosario and their house was submerged in floodwaters even before lunch.

At this point, celfone signals were getting quirky already. Also, flooded areas have since lost electricity because MERALCO prudently shut power to prevent accidental electrocutions. I went back to the hotel and watched the news. The information was very sketchy; government agencies seemed clueless at what to do next. I went out to look for an internet cafe to get better insights on Manila's floods. Nothing useful except making some lucky contacts with those who were safe and sound in their own homes.

Times like these, survival instincts make us watch out for our own safety first. But after securing ourselves, we begin to wonder about the people we love. We frantically try to contact family members and friends to check on their welfare. Times like these, we begin to realize what is important - not our cars, not our laptops, not even our celfones except to find out about our loved ones. For the rich and the poor, it's not material things that matter anymore, but people's lives.