Typhoon "ONDOY" Second Anniversary, A Recollection - Third Part

Most of us, adult refugees (?), found sleep very elusive, thus, we gathered around at the veranda to view the flooded streets of Provident Villages. As power supply was already cut off, total darkness reigned as far as our eyes could see. Of course, catnapping was resorted to when we could not drive away strong urge to fall asleep. Once, during the wee hours, we saw a helicopter hovering at the direction of Cubao which flew away after a few minutes. Another instance, we saw a motorboat approaching our area but which eventually veered away. The night passed away and there was no sign of any rescuers who would extricate us from our plight or give us any relief goods that might augment what our kind benefactors who opened their house and shared their food and clothes with us.

Typhoon "ONDOY" Second Anniversary, A Recollection - Second Part

Like birds, we found ourselves perched on the topmost portion of the apartment roof, wondering what would happen next as we congregated closer to each other, trying to find comfort and warmth from each other. Sizing up our plight, I found out that we managed to take a blanket and an umbrella for protection from the imminent rains as dark clouds started to hover from the sky. Looking around, there was water everywhere swirling around the roofs of single-storey houses, some of which could be seen some people grouping like us waiting for the flood waters to subside. As occasional mild rains commenced, we huddled together as time passed away with all of the group shivering from cold due to lack of sufficient protective, warm clothing,

Typhoon "ONDOY" Second Anniversary, A Recollection - First Part

September 26, 2011 will be the second anniversary of Typhoon "ONDOY" (international name KETSANA). "ONDOY" reportedly dumped 455 millimeters of rain in 24 hours on Quezon City, Philippines, as compared to 250 millimeters that Hurricane KATRINA brought to New Orleans in the United States in 2005. As said date is fast approaching, the painful and traumatic memories keep rushing back no matter how I've tried to erase them from the niches of my mind. I can only deduce that such harrowing experience is forever etched in my psyche.

The day before which was a Friday, heavy rains had intermittently been pouring in Marikina City, the place we've been residing since 1996. Our family was smugly confident that the situation would not get worse with our neighbors, the owners of the apartment compound