I dont know how to start this, maybe going straight to the point would be appropriate. I’m devastated, everyone is.
6:45AM – September 26 2009
I was awakened by Jr, my 8-month old baby boy. He gave me his usual morning smile which always kick starts my day. Shiela (My Wife), Jr and I went downstairs to get ready. At some point, I got too lazy of taking a bath and I so wanted to get back to sleep because it was very cold. But I had some backlogs that I needed to take care at work.
7:30AM – September 26 2009
My son and wife kissed me goodbye like they do everytime I go to work.
I walked out of the house and out of our Village to get an FX Ride. The weather was kind of cold. But it wasn’t raining, at least not yet.
7:55AM – September 26 2009
I arrived at the office. I had a chat with some of my office mates before diving into some backlogs. After a while. Sir Joseph (COO of our company) arrived with a bad mood. It was very unusual because he often greets all of us when he gets in. Well, this day was different for everyone.
9:00AM – September 26 2009
It started to rain. The rain wasn’t that heavy, although the winds were showing some bad signs.
We (The IT Team) were summoned into the office of our COO. We were given a dose of advise that we should start to submit our reports before we were formally reprimanded.
10:00AM – September 26 2009
The water started to rise. If my estimate is accurate, the water during this time was around 1 1/2ft. We were still not alarmed, we thought that our vehicles could get us through the water like the last time this happened.
11:00AM – September 26 2009
My colleagues and I went out to smoke, we were shocked by how the water has risen outside the office. But we were still not that alarmed since the water has risen like this around a month ago, and we only waited for 3 hours for the water to subside.
We were even laughing because a Sofa went by the highway. It carried three children.
Little did we know that our laughters would turn into tears later on.
12:00PM – September 26 2009
The water level was alarming already, within one hour the water has risen a foot. By this time the water level is around 3 1/2ft. We couldn’t do anything expcept go to the canteen and eat while watching the news. From there, we discovered that It was already a Signal #1 Typhoon.
1:00PM – September 26 2009
Shiela sent me a text message telling me that the water has entered our house, I wanted to go home myself so that She will have someone to help her there. But I could’nt. The water has risen a lot. The people on the highway had their chests covered with water that only heads were left to be seen. The scene was very horrible. I could compare the highway that full of people to a river full of coconuts.
I was very terrified with the fact that Shiela and JR are left at home with no one to help them. It felt very uneasy.
2:00PM – September 26 2009
The water entered our office. Everyone was rushing to put everything that was needed to be saved to a table. Documents, CPU’s, Chargers, Speakers, etc… Since most of the Electricity outlets were placed at the ground, we decided to turn off the main electric switch, putting the office into complete darkness. Most of us went to the canteen at the back where water could still not be spotted.
As the hour went by, I felt like crying because I could not do anything to help my family who I felt was in Danger. All I could do is tell my wife what to do. She took the baby upstairs and they stayed there.
3:30PM – September 26 2009
Try putting toy soldiers and matchbox cars side-by-side on a drum and pour water just enough to reach the roof of the toy cars, then step on the drum. That’s how I would describe the scene everytime a bus would come rushing into the water-filled highway. It was such a disaster that cars would crash with each other, not to mention the people who couldn’t see the open manholes.
At one point, buses stopped to come into the scene. Maybe because the ones who came in earlier were stopped by the water.
By this time, the water level on the 1st floor of our house was already around 3 feet. Our fridge, and some appliances were already floating. Deep inside I was crying. I tried to go home, I literally jumped into the water along with the people trying to get home too, but It was too risky. The water current was too fast.
6:30PM - September 26 2009
My brother Mark sent me a text message asking if we were alright. I told him about everyones situation. I wanted to cry while texting My Wife and Jrs situation but I wasn’t supposed to show it. He volunteered to pickup JR and my Wife.
8:30PM – September 26 2009
My brother called me to inform me that He had already picked up my family. I was very thankful. He had to find a place to park because he could not go directly inside the village. He had to get a pedicab to go to our place which he did. The pedicab had a driver and four other people to push it. He described that the 1st floor of the house was a disaster. But I really didn’t mind the house at that time, I was only thankful that JR and Shiela was already safe with him.
At that moment, I was very thankful to God that I have a family that was willing to risk a lot for me, my wife and my child.
I started to breath a lot easier by that time.
11:30PM – September 26 2009
Almost everyone was asleep on their chairs with their feet raised on the tables. Everone was very exhausted.
By this time, the water was beginning to subside all we could do was wait.
2:00AM – September 27 2009
The water level lowered overtime. If my estimate is accurate, the water went down from 5ft. to 2ft.
Some of our officemates started to go home with their pants folded because they have to go through a 2ft. high water.
2:30PM – September 27 2009
Our vehicles were capable to swim through the water. But the next problem was the traffic, we had to wait for the traffic to mellow down.
3:30PM – September 27 2009
The traffic was very light. We decided to eat at McDonalds Kabihasnan before going home.
While eating, My Mother (Who goes to the same office with me) and I decided that we will head straight to their place and pickup Shiela and Jr later on in the morning. Not because we were too tired, but because other places we’re still filled with water, we wouldn’t risk being stranded along the way.
4:20AM – September 27 2009
We arrived at the Condominium where My mom and dad resides. They occupy the Penthouse (Top Floor Unit) which was a bad thing at the moment because the Elevators we’re not available because the basement was full of water. The Bldg. Administrators would not risk it. So we had to climb 23 Floors.
Upon arriving to the Unit, we woke up dad and told our story. Dad and I agreed to pickup JR And Shiela later in the morning. Later on everyone went to bed.
8:45AM – September 27 2009
I woke up because the intercom was ringing. It was my dad, and he had already picked up my son and my wife. He said that he didn’t bother waking me up. I rushed to go down 23 floors and as I immediately gave my son a hug. I missed my family a lot. Although it was only for a day, but the experience made it feel like forever.
10:30AM – September 27 2009
Shiela and I left JR with his Lolo and Lola. We went to our house at Multinational Village. I was very devastated to see what happened. But it was all real, I couldn’t do anything but hold back what I’m feeling and just let it go.
My mother-in-law was already there in the house and already started cleaning. We prepared our stuff and went back to my parents place.
(Please pardon me for any misspelt words, wrong grammar and unorganized writing. My body is half asleep while writing this.)
I know this isn’t a time to point fingers. But this is all PAGASA’s fault. Yes, they gave a forecast of an incoming storm. But the Level of alert wasn’t that high. I mean, they should’ve advised everyone not to go out.
By far, this is the most devastating thing that ever happened to my life. I never expected that we would become victims of a Flood.
God is so Good.I was touched with your story. I knew how you felt during that day coz i am a parent too good thing you are all safe. Thank God Iam a single parent and my daughter is in singapore.She is planning to buy a townhouse in sherwood heights, Jerusalem st., since iam not familiar with the place,I just want to ask how much is the extent of the flood in multinational. iam a 57 year old woman.iam afraid of moving alone in the area.I just want to ask you if sherwood heights was also affected during ondoy.thank you very much hoping for your reply to uplift my spirit Im kinda nervous nowadays. GOD BLESS.
Thank you Dorothy.
To be honest with you, I have no idea about the situation in Sherwood heights during the flood. But the Flood in Jerusalem Street was more than a feet high. If your house is elevated (Like most of the houses in Ephesus), floods caused by a storm like Ondoy would probably not go inside the house but if a storm storm stronger than Ondoy comes into the picture *knocks on the wood*, then thats a different story.
I hope this would help. Good luck on your future endeavors and Godbless!
Hi John, good thing everyone’s okay. Your wife Sheila, gave me your web address. She’s my client
Luckily for us di kami binaha, dito kami sa Bayanan, Muntinlupa City.
Thank you Anna. I hope you guys are alright too.
good thing u survived. Me too, I consider myself lucky kasi kahit pinasok kami ng baha, hindi naman malala.. Nawalan lang ng kuryente for 2 days pero now ok na lahat.
Thank you Jehz, I hope things will get better for everyone.
Im sorry to hear about what had happened to you. I am sure you were beside yourself worrying for your wife and child. I will include you and your family in my prayers this evening.
I still consider myself and family lucky. There are those who are still in need of help. Thank you for your Prayers Ria. I’ll be doing the same for everybody.