A CROWD of people stood in front of the waters. They stood in an almost parochial silence. The lapping of the waves of water on concrete almost hypnotic.
The flood waters from Typhoon Ulysses were almost at Ondoy levels. The entire Olandes area of the Industrial Valley Complex in Marikina was once more under water as were parts of Cinco Hermanos and IVC subdivisions. Nearby Barangka and the Riverbanks commercial area were also under water as were many parts of Marikina and Cainta.
I don’t think that even if these disasters occur on a semi-regular basis, it hasn’t numbed anyone to the pain.
Personally, I was hard hit by Typhoon Ondoy in September of 2009. I lived in the Quezon City area and though the place I stayed had seen some flooding it was normally ankle deep. Not so during Ondoy. With a creek behind us, the waters rose fast and inside by apartment, the water was a good 5 feet high. When you stepped outside, it was over 6 feet deep. And the water kept rising.
I saved what I could but what made it worse was some of my neighbors who weren’t hit by the flooding looted the expensive equipment that I saved.
Since that time, whenever, it rains, I quickly head home no matter where I am. Chalk it up to trauma, I get flashbacks.
While flooding from some recent bouts with the habagat had caused similar misery for those living in the low lying areas, Ulysses brought back those memories.
Barely 24 hours after the rains fell and the lights went out, I found myself out on the streets watching as people from the Olandes area evacuated. They hastily parked their cars along Major Santos Dizon road; the thoroughfare that connects Katipunan Avenue and Marcos Highway. The waters once more flooded the newly renovated Nativity of Our Lady Parish along with the commercial establishments in the area.
I recall during one habagat flooding, this man stayed atop the roof of his home in a nearby street and resisted all efforts to save him. I totally get him. It is his only home and although the waters would destroy much of his belongings, he stayed to watch over his home lest people enter and steal what they could.
How on Earth people could do take advantage of the situation is beyond me. And the flooding was happening again a day after my birthday.
I watched as several barangay tanods and policemen row on some boats to save anyone willing to brave the waters that were 15-20 feet deep in some areas (in other areas of Olandes it was deeper).
At the end where the flood water lapped along the corner of Quirino and Aguinaldo Streets, the crowd of less than 40 forlorn people looked on as the waters drowned out their homes.
The security guard of my subdivision and who has an apartment in Olandes lamented his leaving his dog behind. He chained his dog atop a car and with the waters at least 20 feet deep in his area, the guard choked at his regret. He found his lifeless dog the next day when the waters receded.
One young man held on to his scooter and looked at the waters. It was around 1 a.m. Friday when the evacuation sirens sounded. Unlike Ondoy that happened during the daytime, this was late in the evening and although people expected floods they did not expect another of Ondoy magnitude. He didn’t have enough time to gather much of his family’s belongings. Had he waited a few more minutes, the flood waters would have made it impossible for him to get out with his scooter that was his means of going to work.
It was the same horror story for everyone who had to evacuate.
Two days after the flooding, police placed a sign at the top of the road from Escopa/Katipunan that clearly said “Do Not Enter except for IVS Residents.” But knowing how hard-headed Filipinos are. They continued their way down except they couldn’t pass because the roads were impassable due to the mud.
Now’s there’s a police checkpoint in front of Marcos Street and Major Dizon; one that has been there since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic quarantine last March 11. But since the quarantine was downgraded to MECQ, these policemen have largely sat down and not done anything. All afternoon, they fiddle on their gadgets unmindful of what goes on. Naturally, a massive traffic jam ensued and they did nothing to ease its flow.
Last Sunday, three days after the waters subsided, I tried to go down to the Olandes area (where I occasionally go to market or to buy some things). I could not go past Quezon Street (one block after Quirino corner Aguinaldo Streets) as the mud was still at least 2 inches thick. If you wanted to wade across, you had to wear boots. Anything less would be destroyed.
I brought some sandwiches and coffee for anyone who needed it. People were grateful for the succor.
There was this pained look on their collective faces. Weariness even. For many of them, they have experienced this one too many times. It doesn’t get any easier. They munched the sandwiches, offered their thanks and moved on. Life after all, goes on.