Typhoon Pablo (December 4, 2012) showed off its “anger” and “revenge” just two weeks before the anniversary of Sendong (December 17, 2011).
From Sendong’s Northern Mindanao (CdO and Iligan City) flood water muddled with earth soil’s mighty destruction to Pablo’s Southern Mindanao (Davao Oriental and Compostella Valley) with the same formula- flood water muddled with earth’s soil.
Both areas in “the promised land” of Mindanao.
Mindanao used to be covered with virgin forest ….. but was “de-virginized” by the powerful and greedy loggers and some turned politicians of the ’50s to the ’70s.
My son and his family…are victims of Sendong. My second child, Bebo (30 years old), and his family of 4, 2 house helps,and 2 dogs had to stay 7 hours on their roof top while Sendong washed away homes and their occupants. Their prayers as a family saved them from the heavy rain and the cold weather of December 2011. The youngest daughter, Lizzie (4 years old then) still manifests the trauma and fear of flooding. She keeps today her backpack with her jacket and clothing inside on stand by when ever rains come.
December 3, 2012 (Monday) at 7PM
Beng and I decided to check-in our 8 months pregnant daughter, Louie, with her husband and son to the Madonna and Child Hospital just across our house. The 5 floor hospital was safer than our 2 floor home. We, 5 of my immediate family and 3 of my in-laws, headed for the family’s mountain residence, Mapawa (12 kilometers from my residence and 1,200 feet above sea level), a good 20 minutes drive. We experienced light rain and the Baguio summer weather. We felt safe after saying the rosary and had a good night’s rest.
December 4 (Tuesday) at 12:30 PM
We welcomed the strong wind of Typhoon Pablo on the ranch house deck. The wind was howling and strong and was called ‘nasty wind’ by our grand daughter, Lizzie. She bravely faced Pablo and kept on teasing Pablo ….. nasty wind, nasty wind … repeatedly. I knew that this was her Sendong therapy and she felt safe and secure in Mapawa’s elevation and thick forest. This picture of Lizzie and her puppy Copper was taken during the height of Typhoon Pablo. Both were cold from the nasty wind and rain.
1:30 PM
The wind died a natural death… and strong rain took over. Our roof gutter could not sustain the volume of rain water so that the overflow looked like a mini-waterfall. What a beautiful sight…Pablo once again displayed what it can do.
2:30 PM
The wind and rain gave us a better understanding and a spectacular show for 2 hours on the basic nature and elements of a typhoon. Leaves and broken branches littered the landscape of Mapawa.
10:00 PM
The night was clear and ideal for star watching. The weather was much cooler than last night. We all thanked God for the safety and assurance of HIS love and protection. We had potable water and electricity from our small generator. Our CdO home did not have either – water or electricity.
December 5 (Wednesday)
7 to 8 AM – My two grand children (Lizzie and brother,Enzo) and I walked from the ranch house to the park and back. The hour walk allowed us to see fallen electric wires with branches over them and one uprooted 5 year old pine tree brought down by Typhoon Pablo. I would not even call it damage but a blessing of witnessing nature’s behavior. The educational walk taught us the importance of taking care of our denuded environment thru reforestation and the assurance of having 24/7 spring water supply.
LESSON LEARNED
Lord, you have given MAN all that he needs…the mountain, the trees, the plants, the sea, the water, the animals,…. what else can MAN ask for when he completely surrenders himself- body, mind, spirit and soul TO YOU!
Lord, Typhoon Sendong and Typhoon Pablo are just PREVIEWS of things to come in this lifetime because of MAN’s wrong doings and IF MAN does not correct his greediness and stupidity. Amen
