Whenever someone learns that I live in Marikina, one of the most predictable questions they throw at me is: “di ba bumabaha dun?” (it is flood-prone, right?) or “kumusta naman kayo nung Ondoy?” (how were you during the Typhoon Ondoy?”) These, and other Ondoy-related questions, seem to be a conversation starter if you ever cross paths with a Marikeno.
For context, Marikina City is a valley, adjacent to the Sierra Madre mountain ranges occupied by several towns of Rizal province. We are a catch basin of water from Montalban and Antipolo.
And when Typhoon Ondoy happened in September 2009, a huge portion of the city was submerged in mud and water. It was a catastrophe! Not a few houses were destroyed, and the whole city - as well as other low-lying places nearby, was placed in a state of calamity. We were in the news. For several days, Marikenos, especially those who lived near the river, found themselves struggling to wash off the mud and dirt while trying to be resilient despite the unfortunate event.
When Typhoon Ondoy happened
Saturday morning. The whole family is enjoying the time we have together in front of the television. We were doing our usual routine, and so is the whole community. The rain hasn’t stopped since I can’t remember when.
But then something unusual happened. There was a gush of water on the sidewalk. Before Ondoy, I can’t remember when was the last time there was a flood in our neighborhood but the water was rising up - first it was just clear until it became brown!
My unsuspecting parents are still doing their usual stuff but my younger brother, excited with the continuous rain, went with his friends to see the Marikina River with their eyes.
A few hours lapsed, it is already past lunch. The rain hasn’t stopped yet. There were circulating rumors that the water level from the Marikina River has overflowed, hence the flood on our street. We are a few kilometers away from the river and elevated as well. Flood is very unlikely, but it happened.
My parents are now packing our things. We are now unsure of what will happen next now that the sky is slowly turning dark, the water has not yet subsided, and the rain hasn’t stopped. The power is out too! What’s worse, my brother is still not with us!
By the time we were packing our things, the water was just below the knee, but in a span of a few minutes, it has gone up to our waist, and up to our chest! We were just grateful that a kindhearted neighbor who lives on the third floor opened their home to us for temporary shelter. I can’t forget the horror of trying to evade a galvanized iron swimming fiercely in the water while I am trying to cross! I could have wounded my legs fatally, if not lost them if I haven’t been swifter by a few seconds!
It was almost nighttime when my younger brother returned home with news that the water level in the river had gone crazy and that it has already reached the bridge. The whole bayan was literally submerged in water. And though we wanted to scold him for leaving us and having us worried, we were relieved to see him back after that deluge.
And from that third floor, I can see dimly how the surging floodwaters wreck our home made mostly of wood. It was a nightmare.
A few years after Ondoy
Ondoy has been a life-changer to most of us, Marikenos. I remember the stories of my friends who literally had only their roof to keep them safe while their whole house is being swamped by water. Some people I know lost everything they have. Many others lost lives - from loved ones to pets.
But that kept us stronger. I am glad that our city government did everything they could to not let that deluge happen again, at least with everything they can do. Dredging projects, drainage improvements, road widening, more proactive measures - Ondoy is one of a kind, and we don’t want to be caught unprepared should there be another flooding like that again.
We are known to be a lowland, but it has made us resilient. And what I am grateful of now is more than a decade after that incident, we are proud to host the Palarong Pambansa this year! We may still be remembered for being submerged in Ondoy, but our humble city is also becoming known for its beauty and hospitality!
As of writing, September 29 is coming in a few weeks - the anniversary of Ondoy. And while calling it an “anniversary” doesn’t sit right with most of us, it is still a testament to God’s grace in our lives. I look back at it and saw true bayanihan spirit in action, of caring and meeting the needs of each other and weeping together as a community.
Yes, I am from Marikina, and this is my Ondoy story.
For more context, in case you haven't heard of Ondoy before: https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/the-latest-news-features/84315/ondoy-and-ulysses-pictures-a4362-20201113
Huhu, I wish I have pictures but nah.
Perhaps I want to read stories from @jenthoughts and @lhes