Manila Flood Experience

MANILA City Hall area was “water world” from August 7 to August 9, 2012. Flood in the heart of the capital city was horribly deep. Lagusnilad (vehicle underpass) and the nearby pedestrian underpass, both located in front of the city hall, were filled with flood water and rubbish.

On August 8, Wednesday, I was on my way to Manila aboard a bus. We passed by flooded areas, most of which were in the city’s southern part. The stretch of Taft Avenue, from Quirino Avenue to Lawton area, were flooded, with the murky water getting deeper as we go nearer to the city hall.

The bus was supposed to reach Park and Ride Terminal in Lawton area. But the driver decided to return southbound upon reaching city hall. So he dropped us in a small, non-flooded patch of the highway amid the deep murky water. The sidecar driver I chanced upon offered transportation for P100. I turned it down because I found it too expensive, nagsasamantala na. I knew it because the day before, August 7, Wednesday, another sidecar driver charged me P100 (Originally P150, I haggled), but it was worth it. I was coming from the flooded UN Avenue and the sidecar was more presentable and had an engine.

So I tried to wade in the flood water from the island-planter beside Lagusnilad. But I was scared I might get leptospirosis, get electrocuted, or fall in an open manhole. I was inching my way to an elevated underpass entrance, scared also because I was the only one walking by the area that time. So when some people arrived, my worries diminished.

Then I noticed man in his 40s walking after me. Nahiya ako, baka nababagalan na sa lakad ko. I spoke to him, “malayo pa lalakarin mo, kuya.” Perhaps he noticed I was scared of walking in the flood, as I try to balance while walking on a small strip of the gutter beside flood-filled Lagusnilad. So he told me, to this effect, “Sige, kaya mo iyan, mababaw lang naman ang baha. Huwag kang mag-alala, alalayan kita.” Then he stepped down into the flood and walked beside me. I was touched by his gesture. I chanced upon a kind-hearted stranger, and it was a rare experience

Moving on, I chanced upon a group of men standing by near Lagusnilad, perhaps they were with the Office of the City Engineer, based on their blue shirts that had prints which read “Engineer.”Seeing them without boots, helmets, raincoats, and knowing the risk they were facing, I asked one of them, “Kuya anong ginagawa ninyo dito sa gitna ng baha?” He replied, “Nagbabantay kami dito sa Lagusnilad,” then he pointed to the infamous vehicle underpass. They were putting sandbags near it.

The gentleman, who was accompanying me, and I parted ways upong reaching the pedestrian underpass. Of course, I thanked him. He then crossed to Intramuros, as I stayed at the underpass entrance for a while, taking pictures and videos of the goings-on: the flooded Manila landmark, people pulling their shorts up as they wade through the murky waters, literally smoking ambulance, equestrians driving their kalesas despite the flood. Di ko alam kung kanino ako maaawa: sa taong naghahanap-buhay kahit may kalamidad, o sa kabayo na ipinalulusong sa baha para magkapera ang amo nito.

Then, the sidecar driver I chanced upon earlier came back and offered me tranportation for a cheaper price, P50. So I accepted it. But the flood was too high so I had to stand on the seat of the sidecar, which did not have roof or any covering, by the way. Well, I didn’t worry much about the sidecar getting toppled because the driver had an assistant who was pushing the sidecar as he drove it. While on my way aboard the sidecar, I saw other passengers sitting on the sidecars’ roofs. Parang sagala o parada ng mga reyna sa isang pistang-bayan. Aside from Pinoys, I also saw a female caucasian, apparently a student in one of the universities in Intramuros. She was enjoying her ride. Sayang! I wasn’t able to take photos/videos of the “parade.” I was too worried that I might drop my camera phone.

Also, I recall the day before that another group of caucasians, a female and two males perhaps in their 30s, taking photos of the goings-on in UN Avenue. One of them took a photo of me while I’m inside the sidecar that I was talking about earlier. Perhaps they think my position inside the sidecar was “interesting.” I was raising my feet while inside the sidecar because flood was too high.

Perhaps someday somewhere in the Philippines we can hold a “piyesta ng baha”? And by the way, you might be wondering why I was on a trip amid the flooding? Well, that’s another story. =) (P.S. View the related video on my YouTube channel)