Big Day for Dean & Sophie, But Ondoy Stole the Show

Last September 26, 2009, was an important day for Baby Dean and Baby Sophie. But, it was also the day that Tropical Storm Ondoy ravaged Manila with rainfall that caused flooding and record book distruction to life and property.

Baby Dean was scheduled for a Christian Child Dedication on that day. Also, Baby Sophie will be celebrating her wonderful 2nd Birthday celebration. We booked a function room at The Legend Villas in Mandaluyong. Everyone were excited in the preparation. Family and friends confirmed their attendance to the big event.

Dean's garb for the day, included a red-striped long sleeved shirt, and a khaki long pants from Big and Small Co. He would wear matching socks and leather shoes to complete the ensemble. Baby Dean looked like a preppy young boy in his outfit.

Sophie was wearing a Sunday dress from Kaboosh in immaculate white and soft yellow combination. Sophie was supposed to complement her get-up with a 2-inch heeled lady sandals. However, as she is not used to wearing a high heeled sandals, she can barely walk straight in her new shoes. We tried for her to wear the other new shoes we bought, a step-in sandals, but, it was a size too big, she can't walk without losing it. In another words, we don't know what shoes should Sophie wear for the occassion. In the end, she insisted to wear her all day Crocs sandals, hahaha.

Anyways, we left the house around 10am, that fateful Saturday, to go to the baptismal of Dean and birthday party of Sophie. It was raining very hard, but we didn't realize the storm has caused havoc on the metropolis already. We just thought, it was one of those ordinary rainy Saturdays. When we turned the corner from where the house was, the flood was gutter deep already. Still, we thought, well the rains have started since dawn, so naturally, there was an expectation for so much water in the streets. So, we still journeyed on.

Upon reaching the subdivision gates, the traffic almost stood to a standstill. The streets were so flooded already, but still passable to small cars, so, we still proceeded to go out. When we turn the corner from our subdivision gates, traffic has gone from bad to worse, but since, we have an important occassion we cannot miss, we still drove on. The flood waters were now tire deep, but since, we're driving an SUV, I was not worried yet with flood waters entering the car. I got a little worried only when cars were turning back. I was thinking, we can't stop now or I lose power the moment the car's underbelly gets so wet, as it was an automatic transmission. So we kept driving, inching our way, with floodwaters creeping ever deeply in certain areas. All streets that we passed were now submerged in flood waters already. I must be crazy that day, as I continued to drive along.

Upon reaching C5 road, the flood water currents were so strong, it's almost like a raging river. We still proceeded. Shaw Blvd was the scariest place we encountered; with strong water currents and deep flooded streets, there is no other way but to drive counterflow. Still, we braved on the horrific conditions. We reached The Legend Villas, closer to 12 noon already.

On our way to the hotel, most of my friends who were expected to attend the celebrations have called up to inform us that they can't make it because of the flooding and massive traffic congestion. Then the Pastor called me up that he can't make it as well, as flooding and traffic in Sucat was really, really bad. Then a Ninang-friend informed me that her house has been flooded inside, hence, she can't make it to the affair. Everyone was just cancelling their attendance to the event. Storm Ondoy was literally raining on the parade of Dean and Sophie. But, we decided to go on with the party, as the food cannot be cancelled anymore, hence, the show must go on.

We reached the Raja Ballroom, and there were only about 21 people there, and that included us in the headcount. We started light and easy and decided to proceed to eat, sans any programs anymore. Had the event proceeded as planned, we would have the child dedication of Dean first, then buffet lunch, then a children's party, complete with a magician, a puppet show and some ballon twisting. The magician was stuck in traffic in Ortigas, hence, could not make it. I decided to cancel it altogether.

After eating, we decided to have the pictorials. The place was daintily made up, with an overstuffed sofa clad in soft lace of white cloth placed in the middle of a makeshift platform bedecked with ballons, a tarped centerstage with a smiling picture Baby Dean, looking handsome as ever, and candelabra decorated tables in an assortment of white and pink Malaysian mum blooms. It was indeed beautiful, almost magical, only, people were not around to see the place, hehehe. We sung a birthday song to Sophie and she blew the candle in her The Backyardigans' themed Picture Birthday Cake especially ordered from The Red Ribbon Bakeshop. We partied like it was an intimate family affair. We even poured some red wine for the guests who wanted to forget the horrific storm happening outside the ballroom, if only for the moment.

We gave out food for everyone to bring home. There was just so much food. Our menu for the event included:

Cream of vegetable soup
Dinner rolls and butter
Green salad
Assorted cold cuts
Ham and mushroom quiche
Chicken croquettes
Chicken cordon bleu
Herbed roasted pork
Beef goulash
Grilled vegetables
Carbonara
Rice
Marble cake
Mango crepes
Fresh fruits

The food wasn't at all bad at The Legend Villas. I'll say, it was scrumptious, at its best.

Anyways, when we closed the party, everybody went home with bag of food. So, despite the inclement weather, the mood was happy and hopeful, as everyone went out of their ways and left The Legend Villas.

We have a free overnight stay at the hotel as part of the party package, which I upgraded into a Premier Villa Suite, instead of the usual standard room accommodation. So, we went to the suite, which was amazingly spacious and homey. Imagine, there is a small sala with TV, a dining area, ref, cooking facility (a stove, microwave, toasters, rice cooker, utensils, etc)and a bathroom on the ground floor. On the second floor (or loft) where the bedroom is located, there you will find 2 double-sized beds, TV set, an executive desk and a jacuzzied bathroom. Sophie was just having the time of her life with her new environ.

As we settled down, that's when we realized the extent of the flooding. Reports from friends came, about the flooding in their areas, traffic at a stand still and so much panic. We heared about Marikina in deep trouble already in the late afternoon.

The few friends who braved the early morning flooding could not return home. All of them were trapped in the streets. My friends from Cavite had to stay overnight in their cars in the Baclaran area. They were able to return home at 5am, the following day. My friend from Mindanao Avenue was only able to reached home around 1am already. That's how bad the flooding and traffic congestion at Edsa and the other places.

Anyways, we got hold of our situation in the following day. I got to know that my brother was safe with his family in Taguig. They experienced flooding but not as bad like those in Pasig, Marikina and Cainta. My sister from Antipolo was also okey, except for her husband who braved waist deep waters, hitched hiked his way from Bulacan, just to reached Antipolo. He reached Antipolo, around 8am on Sunday (leaving Bulacan 11am Saturday). That's how bad the flooding has caused on everyone.

The store of my other sister in Novaliches was flooded with knee deep waters, however, their house was spared from the flooding. My sister was so worried about the extent of the damage sustained by the store as some of her stocks were stored on the floors.

Anyways, by Sunday noon, I tried to go and visit Greenwoods. Still, the flood waters were high, I still can't pass thru. Hence, I turned back to the hotel and have our stay extended for another night. We can't get thru our neighbors in Greenwoods, hence, we don't know the extent of the damage, if any, that was sustained in our house. I tried to go home on Sunday night, Monday morning and Monday afternoons, trying out the other routes, but to no avail. We continued our stay at the hotel. On Monday, we got confirmation from a neighbor's house help that the flooding has spared our house. We were so thankful to God!

Our house is built on a small elevated platform, some four steps from the road level. The garage too, is a little elevated, although, lower than the house. Our dirty kitchen outside the house, is of the same level as the garage, hence, we were not certain if flooding caused damage on the ref in the kitchen and on the other things there.

Armed only with overnight clothes,(except for the kids whom the yayas have packed as much clothes on their baby bags), I have to have our clothes laundered. Good thing, we have a barely month-old Laundry Shop now operating in the Mandaluyong area. The family loved the fresh smell of their newly laundered clothes, and seemed not to worry about our situation, if only for the moment.

On Tuesday morning, we were able to confirm from a colleague of my wife from work (who happened to be living in the same village as us, and got trapped in the village during the storm)that the east gate of our village was now passable to vehicles. This gate is located 3 towns away, it is so far away, travelling thru this route seemed like forever. I talked to the guy and tried to get general directions on how to go home. I have not tried this route before and is quite unfamiliar with the place.

We decided to pack our bags and check out from the comforts of the hotel and be home at last. I was least comfortable sleeping in the smaller beds of the hotel and eating at fast food places for lunch and dinner. And I can't have a sound sleep not knowing what happened to our house. I was too anxious to see our house.

We checked out from the hotel before 12noon on Tuesday. My wife decided to pick-up some distilled water for the kids and loaves of bread from the Grocery on our way home. The grocery line was just endless, and all canned goods, bread and water were almost gone from the shelves. You would think that there was panic buying by consumers going on, but, the goods were bought to help in the relief operations of the affected/flooded areas. We also passed by a drive thru fast food, for our lunch. Apparently, the chain we went to has run out of food items, as their commissary was also flooded and their delivery did not arrive since Saturday. We went to another shop, and had to be content with what they have in store. We can only order Spaghetti, Pancit Malabon and Milkfish meal.

With the volume of traffic and our unfamiliarity with the route, we drove slowly towards the Floodway in Manggahan, Pasig. As it was past lunch already, some of us in the car decided to eat Spaghetti on the way. The Floodway Eastbank road seemed endless and the markers that we're supposed to watched out for, was just not in sight. This made us unsure but determined, nonetheless. When we saw the first bridge marker, we were elated. But the second bridge marker was just not there yet. After hours of driving, we finally saw the second bridge and made our turn. Only minutes later, we saw the village gate on the east side. We finally were able to smile with relief. But the relief was replaced with horror, in an instant, when we saw the expansive vacant lots of the subdivision all submerged in flood waters. There was just so much water everywhere. Only the streets were visible, as these were elevated from the main village level.

We drove slowly, some on knee deep waters, others were gutter deep, until we reached our street, Cedar Street. Alas, our street was still flooded, except for the small patch of dry cement floor right in front of our house gate. To me, it was a really good sign from God. And it was.

Our house sustained minimal damage. No water flooding marks around, just some wind damage on our garden canopy, and some plants that need tidying. We were so lucky and were so thankful that God has spared us from the trauma of the storm that rained on Dean and Sophie's big day.

But to this day, our village is still submerged in flood waters. The main gate is still not passable to vehicles. There is a boat that one can ride if one decides to go out the Pinagbuhatan area of Pasig. I think, we will await for the summer months to dry out the flood waters.

It is still almost a torture to use the long route for home. But, at least, we can go Home!