Electricity was only restored three days later so we did not realize the extent of destruction until Monday morning when several rescue teams from the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, LGU and NGO’s were stationed at one end of the Ortigas Bridge.  There were hundreds of stranded passengers and onlookers.  I even overhear a middle-aged woman that they were going to check for dead bodies which were washed ashore at the banks of the Floodway.  I could not get a ride to the office or to the supermarket so I just went home. All my phone’s batteries were dead so I could not immediately check with my friends from Marikina and San Mateo.

Malanday in Marikina which is situated on the banks of the Marikina River and Gitnang Bayan San Mateo were two of the most severely affected.  Both Edwin’s and Mansuet’s houses in Malanday and Jolina’s house in San Mateo were completely underwater.  They were only able to save a few belongings due to the swift rise of floodwater.  Nobody expected it to be such fury and destruction was everywhere. 

True Survivors

One week after the flood, Malanday streets are still impassable due to thick mud and mountains of garbage dumped on the streets.  When I went on Sunday, October 4, I have to walk from the highway to Purok 6 where both Mansuet and Edwin were residing. Edwin’s house was totally washed-out and he was only starting to clean-up his soiled clothes.  Construction was underway for the new walls and the house was still is disarray.  Ate Ella, my cousin who lives across looks like a distraught woman while sitting on top of a dirty table with the garbage all over.

The Great Biblical Flood

 They were describing how the water level would rise very fast; one minute, the windows of Ate Ella’s house were still visible, the next minute, even the roof was already submerged.  They and several other families took refuge on the two-story house next door. When the water level reached the ceiling of the second floor, they transferred to the rooftop with only their umbrellas as shield. They were rain-drenched for almost 24 hours.  The flood was likened to the Biblical Great Flood during the time of Noah.  While perched on the rooftop, they saw a family floating in the river, shouting for help.  However rampaging flood water prevented any rescue team and the poor family ended up among the rubbish of typhoon “Ondoy”.

Homeless but hopeful

Malanday in Marikina is one if not the biggest Capuleno community in Manila.  The Municipal Mayor of Capul, Ignacio Cascano with doctors from the Capul Municipal Hospital and the RHU had conducted relief operations and medical mission for the Capuleno victims. Other well-off Abaknon families and individuals also give support in cash or in kind to the affected families.

Even with the bleak environment among them, we still have a few moments of laughter.  Owe it to the ingenuity and sunny disposition of the Pinoy, he still have time to toast a few drink for a new life amid the destruction. It will take a few more months before life in Malanday will be back to normal but the fact that there were no casualties in the community is one good reason to be thankful to God for.