DAPA, Siargao Island – As we raised our arms in victory amid the destruction around us at the Siargao Sports Complex caused by the Category 5 Typhoon “Odette” on December 16, I gathered my friends to initiate a survival plan.
“There’s a possibility that winds may blow harder. Older people refer to this as ‘ikog sa bagyo’ , which is as deadly. This means we should be very careful. All those debris still hanging above may fall on us,” I said loud and clear.It was past 3:30 in the afternoon, two hours after “Odette” made its first landfall in the Philippines, right on Siargao Island. The wind was still howling although not as fiercely.
As we parted to execute our plan, I reminded him to watch out for flying roofs or falling debris and sharp objects.As I trudged to leave the ill-fated gymnasium of the Siargao Sports Complex where we sought shelter from the fury of “Odette,” I couldn’t believe that the place where I used to play basketball almost thrice a week is a complete mess.
I noticed that the other cars we brought to the sports complex and parked beside the grandstand three days before the typhoon were all unscathed. I was looking for a hard object I could use to smash the door handle with. I went to another room. As I opened it up, whoa, there were four people inside.
A couple friends of mine, Alexa and Drew Paroz, came with their stuff and a dog. Alexa helped me clean the room as lots of people were coming in. Before the typhoon’s landfall, a veteran war and disaster journalist colleague of mine, Froilan Gallardo, texted me not to get out of the gym until the typhoon is over, for safety’s sake. He would be mocking me now had he been around.When we got back, the room was already filled with more than 50 people, jampacked like sardines.
There must be a treasure trove hidden in this room. I was so curious. I fired up my flashlight, whoa! Full of boxes of goods. But I told them to close the room. Enough looting already.The young men nodded and closed the room. I was told some folks believe I’m a cop. Standing 5’9” tall with cropped hair, maybe I look like one. Must be why they follow my orders.Then I started to cook rice as some girls helped me out cleaning the kitchenware we brought along.
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