Che Abelinded and I left Law at four in the morning. There were still lots of people on the streets, and we easily got rides in Katipunan. The people I saw were walking as though in a dream; maybe they were in awe as to how the storm hit so suddenly and so strongly, or maybe they simply did not get as much sleep as we did. From Katipunan, I took the LRT to Santolan. The LRT operated for twenty four hours that day, carting passengers, sometimes even for free. I saw people who camped right there on the station, laying down old carton boxes and their coats/jackets as temporary beddings. I heard them whispering to each other, asking strangers where they go home to and expressing their concern that there might not be a home left for them. Some commuters asked me “Hija, saan ka ba pauwi?” and when I told them I lived in Pasig, they seemed to mutter to themselves, which made me even more nervous as to how the flood has hit my hometown. The train passed by the Marikina river, and though it was still dark, I could see that the river has overflowed, the usual floating decorations were destroyed/displaced.

The scene at Santolan station at four in the morning was quite unforgettable. Vehicles were unmoving at Marcos Highway, which was covered in mud. I had no choice but to hike to Pasig, like most other commuters coming from the train. We walked single file through the ankle-deep mud in Marcos Highway, strangers bonded together with a single purpose, vigilantly looking after each other lest any of us would need help. I walked for a total of three hours, sometimes through mud and sometimes through knee-deep flood, with road-killed animals floating right beside my legs. When I went to work the following week and told my office mates of my ordeal, they thought I’ve been through so much, but I never thought much of it. I told myself, walking was how our ancestors have gone from one place to another, and besides, my experiences were nothing compared to what our other Kababayans have experienced. I simply imagined the mud squishing inside my shoes as spa-mud, and that I was walking through the beach with the sea water reaching to my knees; besides, I was too tired to be worrying about mundane things.

I rent an apartment which suffered from knee-deep flood, but my dad’s house suffered from people-deep (lagpas-tao) flood, which eventually receded to a more permanent chest-deep flood. Luckily, my dad was in Antipolo when the flood hit, but quite unluckily, everything in our house got submerged. Until now, the flood in Pasig has not yet dissipated, but my dad has relocated to Antipolo. My high school classmates and I chat with each other through Yahoo Messenger, and they tell me that they’re still living with flood water. I know how it is to live with flood. The last time we got flooded in Pasig was when I was in grade four; the knee-deep flood in our house took months from receding, and we had to ride a banca going to school everyday. When the flood gradually receded, I was only happy to finally see the floor of our house again.

Another thought about the flood: Filipinos can be quite resilient! Ang tibay natin! Only hours after Ondoy hit, people in Pasig were ready to go to church, having fixed their flood-damaged houses with the help of neighbors and friends. We also never lose our good naturedness and humor, smiling to ourselves despite tragedy, thinking positive and telling ourselves that we can always pick up the pieces. A friend who lived in Provident Village put this status message in his Facebook account: “Dear God, please let Pepeng wash away the mud that Ondoy left in our house. Thank you.” I am also proud of my own block mates at 2E, who were quite worried about me after having lost touch of everyone (since my charger got submerged and my cellphone didn’t have battery). They, together with 3E and 2B organized among themselves an outreach program at Brgy. Tatalon, QC. I was only busy with our own “disaster-relief” efforts at home, that I wasn’t able to go with them. But I did help in giving tips while they were planning.

I never thought that the wrath of Ondoy would leave a large swathe of Metropolitan Manila and nearby provinces under water and in utter chaos. It was a scene straight from one of those catastrophe-themed movies that up until Ondoy, I could never comprehend why Hollywood spends so much to produce and people actually pay to watch them. The disturbingly vivid scenarios they depict are not that far-fetched after all.

Together with officemates and friends, my sister and I, volunteered for World Vision’s relief operations. I also joined the relief operations conducted by my office in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Meeting the people displaced by Ondoy makes me more than thankful for all the blessings I have received and continue to receive. And I must admit, more than a little ashamed for worrying over petty things. All my concerns pale in comparison with the suffering of Ondoy’s victims.

The finger-pointing and blame-heaping of government officials do not help at all. At this point, it is a waste of precious time and resources. But I believe they are not the only ones to blame. I pray we do not experience another Ondoy to be jerked rudely awake from our complacency.

To quote Mr. dela Cruz, helping our fellow Filipinos in these times is just par for the course for anyone who was lucky enough not to have endured the terror of swiftly rising floodwaters, fortunate enough not to have lost their belongings and homes and blessed enough not to have lost a loved one…

Over the next week, my time was shared among my job, helping out in two aunts’ houses, at Operation Tulong Bayan organized by the offices of Senators Roxas and Aquino, in UP Law’s relief operations spear-headed by the Dean and the LSG CB, and my bar-ops responsibilities. At the time, I thought I was making sacrifices and going out of my way to help out – giving and sharing what was mine by rights in time, efforts, and donations.

In hindsight, it was all just par for the course for anyone who was fortunate enough to have escaped Ondoy’s wrath unscathed. I just fulfilled what I thought were my responsibilities. Life went on.

In stark contrast, is a story of true sacrifice and true generosity – of something far greater than substantial compliance; of giving, not just what was extra, but of giving more of himself than he should have – the story of Muelmar Magallanes. In case you haven’t heard: he saved 30 lives and died doing it. The news and internet are replete with stories of his heroism.

I tried to put myself in his situation. I couldn’t. Each time he brought someone to safety, he could’ve stopped. 30 times this guy decided to put himself in harm’s way for people he didn’t even know. 30 times.

I pray for him everyday and will remember his name always, because what Muelmar did 30 times over, I sincerely doubt that I could do even once, not even theoretically. So please: Remember his name; pray for the eternal repose of his soul and for the loved ones he’s left behind; and share his story. It’s the least we could do.

Being one of the team leaders and coordinators of Akbayanihan Relief Operations proved to be one test of spirit and faith. Joining forces with the Liberal Party and leading their team for a relief operation was a job I didn’t expect I will take.

Since Ondoy came, it has always been a constant call for me to be courageous. I wanted to hide and just be part of the volunteers and go home at night with law school in mind. But it was not part of the offer, and more was asked.

September 27, before midnight, I went to the headquarters to help organize the relief operations for the next few days. This is while a team has already gone to Marikina to distribute relief goods. Little did I know that the victims will be part of my life at work. So much part of me that everyday since then, there never came a day that I was not thinking about how to get trucks, relief goods, cash donations, blankets, medicines, food, psychologists, doctors, everyone and everything.

Today is our 14th day and for two weeks I feel like we haven’t done anything substantial yet because Pepeng hit the country right after and now we have to operate across the borders up to the far north of the country.

If there is an important insight that I have learned from this job, it is the fact that coordinating with the rest of the volunteer groups, donors, political groups, individuals, schools, police, and LGU’s, especially with the latter, proved to be the most difficult. Difficult because at times you feel like you want to take the matters into your own hands. Difficult because there are volunteers willing to give you their precious time and you can’t waste it. Difficult because there is a large part of the population willing to donate but coordination as to how to pick them up and distribute them, with the little resources that we have, can happen effectively.

This is teamwork and an issue that is important not just to one political party, not just to one individual, but important to the rest of the population.

As of this writing, I am thinking of how to organize a medical mission, ON A REGULAR BASIS, as part of the relief operations and how to organize a psychological debriefing not only to the victims but also to the volunteers who have risked their lives as well. As of this writing I am thinking of ways to put a system in collective volunteerism, how to sustain it, at least for our group. As of this writing, I wonder if there is really much we could do to help in the disaster control of this country.

I look at the areas that our group still has to cover, on a regular basis, and I can’t help but sometimes feel helpless and exhausted.

Test of spirit–that I should not give up. Test of faith–that help shall be received.

INVITATION:

Akbayanihan: Tuloy-tuloy ang relief operations!

We will cover these areas next week (Oct 12-18):

Laguna, Bulacan, Zambales and Pangasinan. Together with the relief drive, we shall conduct a medical mission in the areas ON A REGULAR BASIS. But we need YOUR HELP! Volunteers, doctors and donations needed!

Donations of ascorbic acid, multivitamins, analgesic, cough and colds preparations and anti-diarrhea are accepted.

Please send your donations to 36B Madasalin St. Sikatuna Village, QC. Call 925-5843 or text Ning at 09175718885 or Pau at 09175050590.

This is not the case though after Ondoy hit Metro Manila causing millions (if not a billion) of damage, hundreds dead, and thousands of families displaced.

Safely in Malcolm Hall and having our tax class until 1pm last Saturday, September 27 we have no idea that as we worry only that we might not be able to go home to our respective houses because of the rain, the thousands of people affected are worried that after the rain there won’t be a house to go back to, for the people who lost love ones not only will there be no house to go back to but that it will take a while to rebuild a HOME.

Since I am living in UP, I was still able to go home after our class unlike the number of people who were stranded at Malcolm Hall that day. As the television show people already in their roofs and the magnitude of flooding brought by Ondoy, it was the only time that occured to me how REALLY fortunate (and maybe lucky) I was and my family who are in the province.

That Saturday night, and the day after facebook, twitter (that day #Ondoy was number one in the threads) and youtube is already abuzz with videos, stories of the flood, cries for help, and calls for volunteers. me and my resolved to volunteer what we can in the relief operations. Not having much grocery at home, and much money I decided to just donate some clothes I have, bedsheets, towels, etc to ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya. While waiting to be ‘deployed’ to either the food packing, hauling, clothes sorting areas of the relief operations I say a number of college dormates from Molave Residence Hall and classmates in college volunteering as well and bringing whatever they can spare for the relief operations.

Seeing the relief operations, reading stories of both volunteers and survivors it made me realize one thing: the Filipino spirit is indeed indomitable, that Bayanihan still lives, and that no matter how bleak the situation is the goodness of the human heart will shine through. Indeed, I can shout to the whole world that ‘WHERE I AM FROM, EVERYONE IS A HERO’.

We were instructed by the Red Cross coordinator to proceed to an evacuation center in the vicinity of Araneta ave. near Funeraria Paz in QC. As my team was trying to enter a one-way street, my brod asked a po-liceman if we could counterflow because we needed to get to the evacuation center. The po-lice replied “sir, wala na po si Gloria.” My brod quickly snapped back: “kuya, hindi po si Gloria ang pinunta namin dito!” The po-lice let us through. Sarap batukan!! In that same area, I overheard another po-lice say “huwag tayo didikit kay Gordon o kay Ambassador, baka mautusan pa tayo.” Tsk tsk. Tsk tsk tsk.

All was well in that center. No additional muscle power was required. The distribution of the goods was well in order.

We wanted to go where we are needed. We wanted to go where there is hardcore hard work. We wanted to go where our spirits would be tested. We decided to go to Marikina.

The Red Cross coordinator led us to Nangka Elementary School. As we entered the vicinity of that evacuation center, the first thing that greeted us was the smell of shit, urine, decomposition and river silt. Mud and debris were everywhere. The chaos was overwhelming. We needed to move. We needed to work. We needed to get things going. But how? Where to begin?

We asked the red cross coordinator what we can do. At first, she assigned us to conduct the screening of evacuees prior to the distribution of relief goods to make sure that we will distribute only to the evacuees of that particular center. 20 minutes passed and we still weren’t doing anything. Until I saw a lady distributing sacks and plastic bags. Shovels were being passed around. I asked for a sack and started picking up garbage and debris. All my companions started picking up garbage. Just do it.

Nung una, overwhelming iyong mga napakalaking tambak ng mga bato, basura, tae at putik mula sa ilog. Pero unti-untiin natin, kaya natin ito. Ang dami natin, kayang kaya natin. Each time anybody holding a shovel took a breather, the shovel was passed to another to continue clearing the debris. Pulot lang nang pulot. Pala lang nang pala. Let’s just keep going and little by little we’ll be able to clear all the shit. If we don’t clear the shit, or at least lessen the volume of the shit, all the evacuees are gonna get infected by all sorts of diseases.

Soon the firetruck arrived. They pumped water to help clear the debris and wash off the toxic stuff along the court.

At around 3:00 p.m., the big red cross truck bearing sacks of relief goods arrived. Our mission was to secure and carry these 60 kg sacks from the truck to the classrooms (2nd floor, 3rd floor, 4th floor). The lady red cross volunteers will take charge of the distribution. Naturally, one would need to continue breathing deeply in order to carry such a heavy load on one’s shoulder over a long distance. Each time I inhaled deeply, I inhaled the smell of shit deeply. But nevermind that. Gutom na gutom na sila. Uhaw na sila. We were worried that the evacuees might fight over the goods or pilfer the sacks while we carried them. Good thing the red cross volunteers were able to assure the evacuees that they will surely receive enough relief goods. Well, except for an isoloted incident. A man approached one of my brods while he was carrying a sack and said “sir, pwede bang pahingi ako ng isang sako? Malakas kasi kumain ang pamilya ko.” My brod answered, “sir, pasensya na po. Sabay-sabay po at pantay-pantay po ang pagbigay ng mga goods. Mag-antay na lang po kayo sa classroom at iaabot na lang po sa inyo ng red cross.”

Good thing the brave men and women of the Philippine Army were there to ensure peace and order. They carried their M16s, shovels and walis ting-ting. A sharp contrast to the po-lice who did not want to be anywhere near Senator Gordon at baka mautusan pa.

A calamity-stricken area seems to be no different from a war zone. Military presence needs to be maintained for a certain period.

After 3 hours of carrying the sacks, the red cross told us that we have accomplished our mission. All the families in that evacuation center will be given goods. Ok na. Pero paaano niya ipagkakasya ang isang bote ng tubig sa loob ng 24 oras? Given the smell of the air, they will need more water to wash off the toxins in their body.

We felt good that in our own small way, we made a difference.

Just a comment on relief operations in general. Why is the framework of relief operations based on dole outs? I don’t understand why relief operations could not follow the Gawad Kalinga framework where the victims/beneficiaries assume equal responsibility in the project or operations. In Gawad Kalinga, the beneficiaries are active, not passive. They build their own houses and take pride in what they built. They build houses for their neighbors. They take care of their own community. Similarly, why can’t the victims themselves supervise the distribution of the goods to ensure that all the refugees in that evacuation center get their proportionate share in the relief goods? Perhaps because in times of calamity, the instinct of self-preservation coupled with the feeling of utmost helplessness petrifies the victims into inaction. But they themselves should empower themselves and bring hope to themselves. Perhaps the dole-out framework is major POLITICAL CAPITAL for politicians. It is convenient for the politicians that the victims know that they are helpless and that Mr/Ms Politician is the messiah, the deliverer. It is not convenient for Mr/Ms Politician that the victims know that they themselves are the masters of their own destiny – whether they will rise up and rebuild their own lives. It is convenient for Mr/Ms Politician to lead the victims to believe that should they be able to rebuild their lives, it is through their (politician) intervention alone. Ako ang nagpakain sa inyo. Ako ang tumulong sa inyo. Ako ang nagbalik ng buhay niyo. Huwag niyong kakalimutan. Tulong mula kay ________ (fill in the name of your favorite politician). Akala mo ….

We can rebuild our country. Yes we can.

Section 16 of the Local Government Code is clear about it: “Every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied therefrom, as well as powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance , and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare.” This section comes with a cluster of specific obligations—formulate development plan, coordinate the implementation of technical services including public works and infrastructure programs, protect the environment, adopt a comprehensive use plan, enact integrated zoning ordinances, approve subdivision plans for residential or commercial or industrial or other development purposes, provide for the maintenance of waterworks system, regulate the construction of reservoirs, provide for an efficient and effective system of solid waste and garbage collection.

The flood, according to urban planning experts, can be traced to poor drainage and sanitation systems. It is an environmental concern, as well: sewers that were clogged up by plastic bags and other refuse turned roads into rivers.

But before we play the blame game, first things first: we need to save the communities which were hit the hardest.

Last September 27, right the day after the typhoon, I joined Akbayan in their relief operations in one of the evacuation centers in Marikina. We arrived past eight in the evening and found H. Bautista Elementary School covered in darkness. The water had receded but the school quadrangle and corridors remained buried in muck and mud. Ten to fifteen families shared a small classroom. When we arrived, most of the evacuees were already sleeping—with the adults couched on Lilliputian armchairs and the children spread out on the floor.

We came with a truckload of boiled eggs, sandwiches, clothes and blankets, and gallons of drinking water. The evacuees, alerted by our arrival, started to pour out into the quadrangle. But our coordinator decided that we could not distribute the goods right away. She thought we needed assistance from the barangay officials to make sure that everyone would get something and that there would be no chaos. She called Mayor Fernando who promised to send some of her people.

The Mayor’s instructions must have simply passed over her men’s heads because it took them two hours to arrive at H. Bautista. And when finally they did, it was only to tell us that they could not help control the crowd. In the end, after all that waiting, we were left to our own device.

It was decided that instead of having the evacuees lined up in the quadrangle, we would just visit them in their rooms. The task was daunting because H. Bautista had three buildings with about forty rooms, while there were only about twenty of us volunteers. And to reach the buildings, we had to negotiate—in the dark—the quadrangle which was slippery with mud.

Our coordinator had the good sense to group us in two’s and assigned each pair to four classrooms. Every pair was given bags of sandwiches and boiled eggs. We decided not to distribute the clothes, blankets, and mineral water anymore because it was just physically difficult, if impossible, to do so.

Which was a big comedown, because drinking water was scarce in the evacuation center and the people were especially requesting it. It was heartbreaking knowing that we had gallons and gallons of what they were asking for but could not distribute to them simply because doing so—without the assistance of local officials—would have done the entire evacuation center more harm than good.

The evacuees were also asking for medicine because most of them, especially the children, were stricken with fever or flu or common cold. A couple of women were able to summon enough courage to ask for tampons. An old man who fixed himself in one corner asked for a pair of slippers. Unlike bottled water, we could have easily brought these things to them—yet we could not, simply because we did not have them.

Local governments, under Section 455 of the Local Government Code, are tasked to “carry out such emergency measures as may be necessary during and in the aftermath of man-made and natural disasters and calamities.” But they do not have to do everything. Volunteerism is inherent among Filipinos; help just comes from everywhere, even from nowhere. But there is something local governments can, should, do: after the evacuation centers have been set up, they should do a basic demographic profile of the evacuees—e.g., age, sex, population count. This information can help relief operations respond to the real and urgent needs of the evacuees.

Volunteerism, even instantaneous heroism, has seen us through many disasters and calamities over the past years and decades. And it’s all good. But government officials must still do their part. We elected them into office for a reason.

people have to help themselves because we cannot rely on our government to save us.
But we want to see government do something about this problem soon. The mayor of Marikina admitted indirectly that part of the problem was caused by her granting favors. The laguna lake development authority administrator or manager, now mayor of his city, allowed informal settlers to block the waterways. Patronage is a way of buying votes, and that is why these mayors did.

See, maybe my classmate Ferdinand R. is correct. We should not have elections for mayors. They should be appointed by the president by raffle, and only those who meet the qualification standards can qualify for the raffle. If it is by raffle, then they do not owe the president any favor. no political favor, no patronage so they can stay in power.

RVG