Milenyo. . .Another Story

By: Nani

In the Storm

For the first time as far as I am concerned, PAGASA correctly forecasted typhoon “Milenyo”. And I did not believe, maybe one among the many. But we still did our usual preparation like placing all our things susceptible to water damage to above the knee as this is the usual level floodwater rises inside our house.

Mid-morning, we watched the typhoon developed. I notice the strong wind and I told my wife that “looks like this typhoon has lesser rain since wind is faster”. We still had our normal breakfast. When floodwater started seeping inside, I peeked outside and saw floodwater still coming from our left side. From experience, if the floodwater started coming from our right side it means the creek in the boundary of Halang and Bucal had overflowed. This is where the water from Makiling upland areas flowed. We were still joking around and playing with our 5-month old Shih-tzu who was unusually behaved that time. Maybe he is sensing something big to happen. Animal instinct? That’s when I noticed that the water seeping in has turned darker brown and level was rising fast. I went to the window and peeked. Floodwater was coming from the right side and current is so fast that the road became like a rampaging river with floating forest debris, banana tree trunks, cut tree branches, etc.

The making of a hero

When I was a kid, I used to dream that I could be a superhero. I even role-play sometimes. Since then, I was looking forward to proving my worth as a hero. But the opportunity never came . . . until that day. Sensing it was something else, I ordered immediate transfer to our in-laws’ house (a two-storey) besides us. My wife did not want to go as she still wanted to save the things to higher levels. On that moment, one has to be decisive. It’s either Go or No Go. I ordered my two daughters to follow me. I cannot open the glass door (which is nearer to the side of my in-law’s house) due to water pressure pushing against it. We went around the kitchen door on the other side. I carried my youngest and crossed over. Water outside is waist-deep. I went back together with my brother in-law. I carried my wife while holding high in my right hand our puppy. He carried my other daughter. Water is now stomach-deep. I went back in our house. Jan my son and his friend, Gelito were still there. They reported for work 1st shift but were sent home later as their plant closed down due to typhoon. We stay there hoping that water would stop rising.

Water inside is now above knee-deep and I felt the current even inside our house. It’s pointless to further stay. I peeked outside and notice the strong current swooping down inside my in-law’s garage where I passed earlier. (I later learned the reason why. The CHB fence wall at the back collapsed, thus floodwater short-cutted its way thru our yard going to National highway.) I estimated the water in the yard to be chest or neck-deep. No longer a safe route given the strong current.
Escape Route

Jan said he does not know how to swim. Seeing how strong the current of the murky floodwater going in, even a good swimmer I think would not venture out there. I told them we would exit thru the back. We went to his room and climbed the window going out to the laundry area. Me first, we climbed then scaled the CHB fence of our neighbor (ala-spiderman) and climbed their fire escape steel ladder going to their second floor. I am not sure if I gain strength or the guardrail was simply loosely attached, but when I yanked it out, the rail was detached and I just throw it below the floodwater. (Served to remind me to have it re-install later.) We reached the 2nd floor and entered one of the units, wet and cold. And then, asked permission to stay there until the typhoon is over (they have no choice actually).

Sound easy? But imagine doing this at the height of the storm where strong wind and rain battering your body, and floodwater rushing below you.

New Life in the midst of the storm

That’s when the mother of David (Jan’s barkada) told us that David’s wife was in labor. They need a doctor or at least a midwife! We told her it’s not possible given the situation. Pero makulit talaga! So we tried our cellphone, but there was no signal (don’t ask if it’s Smart or Globe). I told David there was still dial tone on our landline when we left, so we went back to our house. Floodwater is so cold and I started chilling. Water inside the house was already stomach-deep. We cannot find the phone. I traced the line and pulled the unit above water, but no more dial tone. When we got back to their unit, his wife had already given birth. Nainip na yung mga sanggol (it’s a twin!). I joked the name must be Milenyo1 and Milenyo2. I guess the name Milenyo will forever stuck in the minds of this twin when they grew up. The mother again asked for something to cut the umbilical cord. I offered my Swiss knife (ala-Mcgyver- told you, I am the hero here! This is my hour). Ayaw. Kelangan daw ay sterilized. Sabi ni Jan, may dala kaming alcohol. Ayaw pa rin. Sira ang pagiging Mcgyver ko. But the Swiss knife was useful when we opened the canned goods later.

Depressing Sight

I lost track of the time, but I felt hungry and cold. I waited for the lull, that’s when the eye of the storm passed and then the wind direction would reversed. A lull came, and I went down in our house using same route to get some food and check on the situation there. On the way down, while holding on the topmost CHB, it broke and I fell on the floodwater. Luckily, it was sort of a corner so my left hand was able to grab the wooden post of our laundry area. I saw the horror on Gelito’s face who was watching me from the 2nd floor when I emerged from the water. I went back inside our house, grabbed some canned goods and loaf of bread in the upper shelf. Packed it inside a plastic bag. It was hard to move around due to lots of floating things, refrigerator, tables, chairs, and other things. I did not stay long.

It was a depressing sight. Seeing the things you have worked and saved so hard over the years just to acquire and lost them all in instant. Later on, folks and friends would say these are all material things that you can still have. All are replaceable. The important thing is no lives were lost. Partly, they are correct. Partly not, in a sense that these maybe material things, but the effort you put in there, literally the blood, sweat and tears you shed, just to have these things that give your family some comfort in life. You acquired these things as a form of reward for yourself and for your family. A reward for the long hours you spent working. And they are all gone. Replaceable, yes… but not the effort that went with it. Or maybe I viewed it differently. Being the head of the family, I carry the burden of getting back on its feet.

Storm is over

Wind has slowed down, and the water level had stop rising. But the current was still strong. I saw my brother in-law on their rooftop. We communicated thru signals (Ha! I like this. Gave me some leverage). We transferred there scaling the concrete wall and leaping from the roof of our house to theirs. Jan and Gelito went inside the 2nd floor thru the window. I stayed outside and sat on the roof. Pondered on what to do. I thought about my Revo SR, my prized possession. We waited for the storm to subside without much talk.

Mud!, Mud!, and more Mud!

Later in the afternoon, we were able to enter our house. With the water subsiding, things were all in disarray. Mud on the floor is about 2 inch thick, and very sticky. Water outside is still high. I think it’s about above the knee. No tap water, no electricity (Oct. 9 as of this writing and still no electricity in our place). Frankly, I am blank as to what happen during that time and darkness came in fast. All I can remember was we arranged the double-deck in my daughters’ room so we can have a place to sleep on later in the night. Food and water were rationed (unless anybody wants to eat the food inside the ref fortified with mud and floodwater). Even Ziggy, our Shit-tzu had to eat rice only (bawal ang canned tuna, baka galisin.) My son and his friend slept in my brother-in-law’s house. The four of us slept in my daughter’s bed side by side with mud and murky water all around us. I said in jest that it was called “family bonding”.

Heroes also make mistakes

My heroism was validated. My wife and I were talking to while away the time and I said wishfully that maybe if I reported for work, I could have at least saved our Revo from damage. She replied yes, but how about them. Without me, they would be at a lost on what they should do. See, I was the hero of that moment.

On hindsight however, I should have not waited too long for the three of us who were left behind to leave the house. It was foolish of me to still stay there. The escape route we took was a late realization. Maybe I don’t want to let go off that easily with our possessions.

The Morning After

I woke up at about 5:30am, and watched in dismay the surroundings. The daunting tasks ahead. Realization came in fast that we cannot do this by ourselves. We need help. I went out looking for breakfast and hot coffee. All stores were closed. I walked about two kilometers to my brother’s house in Villa Remedios. They were hardly affected by the typhoon. I told him what happened. I asked for help, food, water. No bit of hesitation there. On the way back, I chanced upon a pandesal ambulant vendor. I bought P50 worth of pandesal. Our breakfast.

Work and Play

When I came back, there were about six or seven young kids (age 10-12) from Home Along The Riles (HATR) moving out the mud from our garage, front yard and terrace. Apparently, they were playing in our front road where water is still knee-deep when my wife chanced upon them. They were all cheerfully doing the task, as if they were just playing. Or maybe it’s all play to them. If adults can only have same enthusiastic approach towards work, companies will have lesser supervision problems.

Role Shift

My nephews and nieces arrived. Likewise, my eldest brother and brother-in-law. They brought also some provisions. Plus the several HATR kids at play and our labandera and her kids, we have to organize our work. It’s time to shift role from being hero to supervisor. You see, heroes don’t plan. They do not strategize. They rely on their super capability to resolve the situation at hand. (It’s actually the villains who do plan and strategize to defeat the hero.) I think it was from “Kill Bill”.

But mind you, supervisors are not villain, at least in the eyes of management. They strategize and implement the plan. And that’s exactly what I do. Divide the work – assign people. Even the HATR kids had specific assignments. As more often than not, they were horseplaying a lot. So their assignments were limited to outside and assistance to older ones.

Inequality even in Effects

The working class is the worst affected lot when disasters like this happen, that is compared to the poor and rich class. The poor have very few things to loose, thus it is easier for them to recover. I think most of them hardly lost anything at all since it’s easier for them to save their few precious possessions. The rich class on the other hand can easily replace the things they lost. It may even be considered an alibi for them to splurge on buying spree for new replacements.

But for the working class, it will take at least couple of years to replace the things they lost. Which will mean new sacrifices, new belt tightening. Maybe we should petition our government to at least give us some tax relief to cover these losses. You see, the working class is the most harassed among the taxpayers. We are slapped with about 25 to 30% withholding tax, and then you pay another 12% VAT on everything you buy. Unlike the professionals or businessmen who have ways of passing these taxes to their clients or other consumers.

The Fifth Day – Losing perspective

It was Monday night, I was strumming the guitar trying to relax, my wife besides me. She was telling me something about corrugated roofings of our kubo extension in our backyard that was blown away. She saw it in our neighbor at the back and was asking if it’s alright to ask for it to be returned. I said forget it and told her it may become a source of friction pa. Charge to experience na lang. We had arguments. I snapped and said a lot of things that I regretted afterwards. Damn my temper! For a long time, I was able to control my temper and for such a petty thing, it just burst and went out of control. Maybe because of the stress, the tiring five days of cleaning, but we were all stressed out and I was the only one who lost control. On hindsight, there were some reasons I realized for the outburst that I would rather not discuss here, too private to tell.

Back to normalcy

Our house is still in disarray as of this writing. We cannot arrange things as sticky mud inside cabinets, closets and under are still there. Actually it emits foul odor, similar to what you smell in esteros although a bit milder. But first, I have to put back to normalcy my relationship with my wife. Even Superman becomes timid when confronted by Lois Lane. Spiderman stammers when faced with his dream girl. So on that premise, who am I not to surrender to her powers. That fifth night I believe is the turning point to normalcy in our family life. It is now my wife again calling the shot. My alter-ego (Super-B) has to be shelved for awhile until there is a need for it.

Back to work.
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P.S.
I supposed all of you have noticed that superheroes wear their underwear outside of their outfit. Well in my case, I don’t have brief for four days under my maong pants. Can you imagine how difficult it was shoveling mud, lifting things, cleaning the debris with your balls banging on each other? Buti na lang may 3rd member who acts as mediator. At least may silbi…LOL!