Though you can call it being cowardly I have to rebook my ticket the second time around and leave. The lack of help from the local government made me decide to leave Cebu.
Everywhere is in chaos. No clean water for bathe and drinking water supplies is limited, gasoline stations couldn't supply everyone and the line is way too long.
One of our friends falls in line to get gasoline from 7 AM and after how many hours of patiently waiting and exactly her turn, the supply is no longer available. She was in line till 5 PM, can you imagine the struggle of people with no food less water, and falling in line for how many hours while other rich people hoarded the gasoline, water, and other supplies?
Even prices of the fare online when I checked is higher than the usual.
As I've checked my messages I saw some of my friends were online. I message them directly to see how they are doing. I cried secretly knowing how bad their situation and can't help to go back to the memories of Haiyan.
The struggle of sleeping at night remembering the two super typhoons that I encountered is giving me anxiety. My body is restless though I have not gone through the struggle of most of the people outside falling in line to get some water or get food at the supermarket.
I was supposed to go home on December 26th but my desperation to get out of this chaotic situation made me decide to ask a favor from my friend to rebook my ticket as early as possible.
I thought that I can escape from worrying but I was wrong. When I checked online I saw a lot of people falling in line outside of the airport trying their luck to get a chance to fly that day. I know I have my ticket but checking the situation at the airport there are a lot of flights that were canceled.
On the day of my flight
Before reaching the main entrance, a lot of people fell in line outside of Terminal 1. I don't know what to do. I even don't know where to start and where should I fall in line. I feel like shouting out of desperation good thing a guy ask me where am I going, I said I have a flight I need to be inside as the plane will depart at 10:30 AM. He grab me and said let's go stop looking around you need to be at the entrance.
When I reached near the entrance a lot of people already waving their hands shouting that they need to get in as their flight number is being called.
I run and made sure I will make it to my boarding time. I don't even care if I step into someone's shoes or vise versa. I can see the people's eyes, they are tired, really tired. You can see how much they want to enter and leave the place.
Yes! Almost there, I keep on praying once I pass on this door I am a step closer to seeing my family, finding comfort, and calming my mind away from the fearful situation I've dealt with during the typhoon.
After I get my boarding pass and enter the gate I was surprised how many people were stranded inside. I heard them talking that they haven't taken a nice shower for two days. I felt sad as I realized how lucky I am that I was able to take a shower every day, have a comfortable bed to sleep on but the people inside the airport were not able to have that luxury I have. People are arguing inside the airport, my ears started to hurt, I feel like I am having a panic attack, they deploy policemen inside to control the people.
Most of the people who were inside were those who have their flights canceled. People are sleeping on the floor using a piece of box or their blankets or jackets.
The airport has had a very strict protocol since the pandemic but with the current situation, those protocols were not applied. Before during my last trip, I have to download a Traze App to scan before heading to the check-in area but now no more. Social distancing was not observed out of desperation. No need to provide Antigen Rapid Test or RT-PCR.
On my way home
I sit back close my eyes and say a little prayer. This is almost there. I take a deep breath 3 times and shut my phone as I don't want to see any bad news with the current situation.
Since there is no longer a direct flight I have to fly from Cebu to Manila and Manila to Tacloban.
Flights were delayed, and there are a lot of flights canceled in Manila too. I've waited 3 hours before departing and the moment I step into Tacloban's Airport I had mixed emotions I couldn't explain. Though I am already in our province I still can't have a full 8-hour sleep. Yesterday, it rains and as I've watched the rain I still remember the night during the Typhoon Odette.
This will pass I believe. I may still have that fear I know everything will be alright. I will get through this trauma and can have a better and longer sleep at night. I manifest that everything will be alright and still pray that everyone and places that have been affected by the Super Typhoon Odette will get through this and help will be on its way.
Today, December 24, 2021, as I write this blog I am sending everyone warm greetings.
This may be the darkest Christmas for those who were affected by the typhoon but I want everyone to know that we still have to be grateful for the second life and another year that we can be with our loved ones.
