Slowly Returning to Normal Life

After 5 days of frightening floods caused by storm Ondoy we were now slowly returning to normal life, slowly because electricity has just returned to our area and we still have plenty of cleaning and washing up. Mentally some people I happened to talk to were slowly accepting the fate that dawned on them, others with only few properties left, some with nothing left at all and will start anew. I know God will help us recover again from the losses caused by the storm. I pray for those people who lost their families during the storm. God will help them find in their heart the acceptance of the loss of their loved ones.

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The Sudden Flood That Hit Our Town

Electricity has just resumed today so it's only now that I've uploaded my shots of the storm that caused big floods all over Metro Manila and nearby provinces. I was left in the house with 3 kids and my 77-year old Mom. My sister and husband went to work and on the sudden flood that rise up suddenly within an hour I told them not to go home as it's not safe on the road anymore.

Our place never experienced a flood like this one as far as I can remember since I was born. Luckily with the help of my brother who rushed to our house in the morning and my neighbour we were able to secure our appliances to a higher level. All important documents and clothes in our first floor room were transferred to upper floor. I stopped rescuing things when the water is up to my neck. When I finally stopped at the upper floor I had the chance to take some shots of the flood which was amazingly risen up so fast our steel gate and car was submerged.

The shots below were taken on the second day when the waters were slowly subsiding:

Early rounding up of Media

Rescue operations by boat and trucks

Stranded people walked through flood to finally get back to their homesSari-store opened and the people rushed to buy food, drinks and candles

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Accepting The Fact

As my vehicle going home is so slow in moving I saw in details how the people in my neighborhood has slowly trying to accept the fact that they really has to move back. Some garment shop tried to finish orders from them and took advantage of every single day that their areas were not given last deadline of moving back. It’s their only source of living and after the clearing they will be transferred to another business location.

As the days go by the houses who are less affected gets cleared first to initiate fast clearance works. We’ve been doing some reminders for my mom because she’s the one who will instruct the workers on the restoration works. I just called her now from my office and they started to clear our walls and gate now.

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Clearing Away

DPWH workers started the clearing and construction works since Monday but I think they are assessing reactions of the people the reason why their works are slow. After three days of their clearing works I've found only 4 compounds which have finished the clearing. Some of my neighbors are really hesitant to clear their properties because that would mean the start of their zero sales for their businesses.

Since my brother is living in another barangay I've asked him to go to the house and instruct the DPWH team as to what they should do with our stonewalls and gate, clear instruction should be given to ensure that proper restoration will be done. Our neighbors keep on telling us that we're really lucky that my father did a great house plan when he renovated our house in the late '70s. Our house is the only one in our place that has a 5-meter setback which allowed us now to have a little more space remaining for a garden or store after the widening.

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The Price of Modernization

The rehabilitation of our road triggered different emotions in my town mates as it would affect their life – their houses and source of income. Some were hysterical and can’t control their frustrations and anger with the resolved General Appropriations Act given by Malacañang but the fact is ‘we don’t have any choice’. Government will not pay a single cent to the affected land areas as they say the 4-5 meters setback was written in our land title, they will only pay for the square meters that will exceed the mentioned setback. At the end of the meeting my town mates realized that they need to follow with much sorrow in their hearts. With the present economic crisis that our country is facing now this is a follow up blow on my neighbors.

Even if our house was not affected because my father had planned the widening generations ago when he renovated the old house I felt the worries and sadness of my town mates which includes a lot of my cousins, aunties and close relatives. Our ancestors are the original residents here and it’s sad to think that some of our neighbors would be losing their sari-sari store and commercial rent business. It was just a consolation that our mayor made DPWH promised that they will restore or reconstruct all that will be affected.

But that will not solve the future problem of lost monthly income and habitation. Is this the price of modernization?

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Rehabilitation of Manila-East Road

Have attended the meeting called by our town’s mayor Mon Ilagan and DPWH Edgardo Peralta regarding the Rehabilitation of Manila-East Road. Our one-lane road would be widened to 15 km. to add another lane, new drainage and sidewalk. DPWH officials think that it will solve the drainage and traffic problem of the town which I agree but a lot sacrifice for the residents who live along A Bonifacio Ave. The people who live along A. Bonifacio are the original clans and families of Cainta. I was relieved that they didn’t pursue with the original plan of 20 kms because that would be getting much of our lands. I noticed that all families attended and everybody want to express their view on this impending widening on our community.

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