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Publisher’s Note
HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY THREE KINGS! As we are now in 2019, new year, new beginnings, new challenges and new opportunities. Everyone is entitled to make their new year’s resolution for as long as they keep it in mind and make sure that they do it to the best of their ability. When I was young [...]
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A Sendong Story

by: Glynn Galla

It was one sunny afternoon when I decided to have a walk at the Provincial Capitol ground. When I noticed that there are families that decided to stay in the Capitol Plaza than in designated evacuation centers. As I grab my camera I started taking pictures of the place. I noticed a woman sitting on the bench, she seems worrying of something, weeping in tears and waiting for someone. I approached her and introduced myself, she’s very kind enough to welcome me. I ask her if I can interview her regarding the typhoon. Holding her tears she said yes. Joselyn as her family calls her. A mother of 4, and separated. She then start telling me what happen last December 16, 2011 of midnight.

It was raining hard at that time when the wind blows fast. After few minutes Joselyn and her children was in total darkness when the power was out. Two of her kids were already sleeping when she was in a rush to find a candle. The other 2 were helping their mom to find a match. With a gut feeling, Joselyn felt so strange that bothers her. Then while walking inside the house, her feet felt something, something watery and in no time the water goes up all the way to her knees. She hurriedly wake up the 2 kids and start putting all their stuff up, above the waters. Minutes after, the water gets even furious from knee level, it goes up all the way to the chest. The four kids were already frightened and scared, and as a mother’s initiative she put Dodong 6, Robert 8, Anna 9 and Rico 11 to the higher part of the house. All the while, Joselyn’s neighbor were already yelling at them to get out from the house and go with them to the nearest safe place. But Joselyn was helpless enough to what to do next. As the water goes higher the children started crying. Without further delay she smashed their roof thinking that, that is the only way out since the door was already too heavy to open. After few seconds with the help of Rico, they finally open the roof. Rico immediately climb first, while Joselyn hand Dodong first to her son, then Robert, then Anna. Without further hesitation Joselyn lift herself all the way to the roof, while feeling the water is chasing her all the way to her knees.

Still with no signs of light all they can hear are the screaming neighbor, raging waters, and strong winds. Joselyn start embracing her 4 children. All they can think of is to pray to Almighty. With all their wet clothes, the family hold tight together praying the water wont reach them. The kids were so frightened and all Joselyn can think of was to encourage her children to be strong and put all their worries to God. They didn’t lose hope. All they were thinking at that time was to survive. That God won’t leave them. They were holding each other for hours. Joselyn consistently cheering up her kids. Then she heard Dodong asking her, “Mom why this needs to happen?” All Joselyn can say is “Only God knows”.

As the breaking of the dawn start to sits in. Joselyn wipes her tears, she felt she was having a goose bumps after seeing the light from a far. The 4 children fall asleep while holding each other, she then start waking up each on of them. As the monster waters slowly vanishing and as the atmosphere starting to get calm the family was shocked of the things that surrounds them. Muddy water that surrounds the community, neighbors’ stuffs everywhere, people on their roof tops, huge logs, trees fallen. Joselyn describes the situation as the most horrific, most terrifying, most catastrophic of their lives. She taught that it was the end of the world and no one ever survive of that tragic dooms day. And she added, after few hours on the roof, rescuers, fire volunteers came for to their help. Even though all of them were wet atleast they were safe. They were transferred to a safe place which was not affected by the flood.

All throughout the conversation Joselyn was crying, you could really feel her agony. Emotionally crushed. But upon continuing to her Sendong experience, we were suddenly cut-off upon the arrival of her close friend. Worrying and bothered of the news that might affect her, she was staring at her friend coming to her. Trembling lips she ask, “What happens?”, “How’s Dodong?” then her friend breaks in tears. “Dodong didn’t make it” In shocked, Joselyn couldn’t believe what did she just heard. She freaks out, I could really hear her shouting “Why?” Why?”. Dodong was rushed to the hospital that early morning due high fever and fainting. According the friends, it was because of the huge waters that surrounds them at that time, Dodong got the leptospirosis diseases.

The 3 kids run to their mom and embraced her. All them were crying while trying to comfort each other. Joselyn was screaming out loud saying. “We survived the flood, but why this?” Trying to hold my tears I felt their anguish, their frustration, their poorness. It pains my heart seeing them like that.

What Sendong brought to Cagayan de Oro can never be forgotten, A story of tragedy, A story of struggle, A story of hope and A story of heroism.

Let us continue to help in any way we can, so our brothers and sisters will redeem their selves. Let’s continue to pray for their welfare, and let’s hope that there will be no more Joselyn weeping in tears or Dodong dying.

A Sendong Story

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