Dear Ondoy,

September 26, 2009. Written while I was at church and Ondoy was pouring its wrath that Satuday.

I don’t like you; let’s get straight to the point. I don’t like that you caused and are causing so much trouble to everyone across the Philippines. People are stranded and being evacuated as I write. Cars are submerged, houses even. Reportedly, nine have already died in Metro Manila alone. Hundreds are up on their roofs waiting for you to stop crying so the waters would recede. People are swimming in chest-high, some even six-feet-deep dirty water with I don’t even want to begin imagining what’s swimming with them. I never thought I’d liken Metro Manila to Atlantis, and mind you, I love the idea of Atlantis. Why do you cry so much and pour your wrath out to us? A friend joked that this must be your way of cleansing the Philippines of its physical and moral filth. I laughed and said, “then you should just be pouring it out on Malacañang.”

But let’s get back to reality. My, you are a very troublesome boy, aren’t you? Marikina river has overflowed, and I bet you already know this. Don’t you know that our Pastor had to leave this afternoon because his family was evacuated to a nearby church? Apparently, he had to cross the Red sea, only this time, the waters didn’t part. And my aunt just informed me that their three cars are already submerged underwater. And we’re talking Pajero cars here. Oh, and their refrigerator is also floating somewhere in their kitchen. I’m also stranded, by the way. I’ve been here since 9:00 am and although I have food, thank goodness, other people are starving outside, waiting to be rescued. Which is one of the reasons why I don’t like you. You see, Ondoy, much as I know you’re only doing your job, being that you’re a natural force of nature, I don’t like how you revealed we in this country aren’t doing our jobs right —at least, those who should be helping us when disasters strike. You revealed how unprepared our country is in dealing with disasters. Maybe I should even thank you because you’re only signal number one. Imagine if you were more than that, maybe we’d truly be a water world to behold.

I tried calling Meralco this afternoon. I know that is trying to reach heaven because during your season, they can hardly be reached. I even tried to get through their mobile hotline and it still won’t get through. The National Disaster Coordinating Council has too much tied in their hands right now. I called the Makati city trunk line to inquire for a local disaster coordinating unit. Even their hands are tied. I realized that who I should be calling is DPWH and MMDA because they’re the ones in charge of drainage and all that. But why call now? It seems useless because apparently, your continuous crying just showed that our taxes have gone down the drain. Why are our drainage systems this bad? Why the flooding every time? I’m sure something is terribly wrong with how things were managed even before you came.

So we get it, alright? WE GET IT! You want to show how bad our systems are, but I’m sorry to tell you, ganun talaga dito. We get your point! This country is terribly unprepared and has so much to fix thanks to you. And don’t think I’ve forgotten about your brother Milenyo who visited as this time two years ago. I get your point: two years after, we still haven’t done anything with our drainage problems. Kaya nga please, sila nalang sana bahain mo. Ayun oh, asa Malacañang na nga sila eh. Pwede ba sila nalang? Nadadamay kami eh.

O pano, will I see you leave this country for good? Sige na Ondoy, LEAVE. You got your point across. Tama na sa pagiyak, madami ka ng kadamay dito.

~ by thatwordinme on September 26, 2009.