Anie Writes: 2013

Portrait of a Much-Loved Grandmother

, by Anie Ordillo

We're All In This Together

Twenty-two years ago, I can clearly remember feeling very frightened at the thought that the world was ending.

“Are we going to die?” my 6-year old self asked my Pa on the evening Typhoon Diding (international name, Yunya) produced heavy rains that prompted significant flooding at the time the Mount Pinatubo erupted.

“No” he replied while he led us, kids, to take refuge in the washing room outside our rented bungalow, just minutes away from Clark Air Base. He then, along with the older members of our family, went to salvage our house from the concrete-like mud that Pinatubo’s ash mixed with Diding’s rain created, nearly collapsing our roof.

What went about for the next hours and days were an utter struggle. With nowhere to go and with limited finances on hand, we were left with no choice but to stay in Angeles City during this catastrophic incident. Together, we braved numerous large earthquakes caused by the eruption, heavy rainfall, ash fall, crazy mudflow and the smell of sulfur.

Our next door neighbor’s house and ours were the only ones that stood tall and without severe damages in our lahar-covered block that was as quiet as an old ghost town. Divine providence kept us safe and to this day, we are still grateful for our lives that had been miraculously spared and now living it to the best way we can.

Twenty-two years later, another calamity hit our motherland severely, if not greater than what Pinatubo eruption and Typhoon Diding had struck us with. We are absolutely heartbroken for those who were harshly affected by Typhoon Yolanda (known as Haiyan, internationally) in the central parts of the Philippines. We mourn for the countless lives that had been lost. Our thoughts are with those who managed to survive and are now greatly distress by Yolanda’s aftermath. It is our prayer that may you not lose hope and will continue to press on in spite of the devastation this event had brought.

To the Philippine government, Napoles issue be damned. This is the perfect time to be selfless and set whatever personal and/or political motives/intentions you have, aside. For the remaining upright and noble politicians, who, I know in my naïve mind still exists, set an example for those who choose to do otherwise, overcome evil with good and help restore our faith and trust in our government. Stop with the blame game and pointing fingers. There’s no point in magnifying who’s-fault-is-what in these trying times, instead, focus on what can be done.

To those of you who are in Angeles City looking for ways to help, Humphrey Foundation Learning Center is partnering with Clarkview Christian Center and Philippine Air Force Civilian Military Operation to transport relief supplies and assistance for relocated individuals and families from worst hit areas. You can drop your donations of used clothes, canned goods, foods and bottled-water at HFLC or Clarkview Christian Center on Monday. These donations will be shipped to the areas hit hardest by Typhoon Yolanda through Philippine Air Force Civilian Military Operation. Let’s do our part and lend a hand. When it comes to helping, there is no measurement because everything counts.

Eastern Visayas, hang in there! You are not forgotten. Your beauty shall be restored. You will bounce back from this disaster with grace and though gradual, you will thrive again. Just as my beloved Angeles City did, in time, you definitely will. We’re all in this together. God bless. xx

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