I arrived in Manila last September 26, wanting to spend my bday with my office drinking buddies. What I realized though was this was not going to be a typical birthday– there was a storm raging across Manila, and it was something the city has not seen before. Usually, it takes me about 2 hours to go to my place from the airport. This time, it took me and my mom 30 hours.
The next day, I realized just how bad the extent of the damage was. Half of Manila was submerged. Nobody was spared: rich, poor, people who lived in shanties, those who lived in mansions. Cars were submerged. Lives were lost. My cousin’s house is gone. “Everything is gone,” she told me. With a smirk, she said, “Even my neighbors’ BMW.” My friend’s house, which her parents built after years of hard work, was partially submerged, along with their three cars. Poor people have been evacuated, and are now begging in the streets.
One thing that we all re-learned is that possessions mean nothing. They do not define us, nor should be the end all and be all of our existence.
Manila will move on. It’s a city of survivors.
2 comments:
nandito ka pala! sayang. kelan ba ang balik mo? next balik mo inuman tayo ha. kailangan ng mga officemates natin.
Andito pa din ako, Neri. Monday pa ang balik ko sa kabila (come to think of it, I'm beginning to consider it my second home!). Anyway, I might be there on Friday. See ya!
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