Day 10 - The Beginning of Recovery

Everything was brown after the water receded on Monday morning. People were able to get out of their houses and started disposing destroyed things and clearing mud from their own spaces.

Gates were re-opened and scattered objects were picked up and set aside for cleaning.

One lane was opened for traffic though the flow was very heavy but at least moving.

While what happened was not a perfect ending, deliveries were as usual. And so were some businesses that were able to survive Ondoy's fury.

Ortigas bridge served as the center for rescue operations and was temporarily closed for traffic. People began lining up to receive their needs. Choppers continued surveying the area.

As for the volunteers and rescue teams, work has just begun. Many parts of Cainta were still under water. Help has not even reached some.

You can help with just one text:

(800) 435 7669, www.RedCross.org,

text RED(space)AMOUNT to 2899 (Globe), 4483 (Smart),

Where AMOUNT may be 10, 25, 50, 100.

If from abroad, you can still help:

http://moongirl.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/donating-to-manila-from-abroad/

Day 9 - Rainbow After The Rain

I am used to working night shifts but I felt like I was more sleep-deprived during the flood weekend. Probably because worry was also factored in. My brother was still out there, no update as to how he spent the night outside of home.

The sight from my window at 7:10 AM was still sorrowful. The water was then that of Cadbury chocolate's color except that it did not look yummy at all. Almost half of the first floor of our building was submerged.

The stranded people had no choice but to wait, hoping that the water will recede as soon as possible since the rain has somehow stopped. But the passing of time seemed like eternity.

Waterlilies have blocked the gates...with trash. Trash that caused drainage to be clogged. Thus, a flash flood.

Speedboats roamed the "Ortigas Extension river" that day carrying women and children. No more playing.

Desperate people walked on cables just to get to the other end, not minding of the consequences.

And it was worth keeping your bestfriend. Loyalty Awardee.

People scanned their surroundings to check the degree of damage in their homes.

A child does not usually understand what is actually happening outside. Such as this child neighbor of ours.

Choppers never ceased to survey the area.

A few have paid strong-willed men to send them home via improvised rafts. Either by wood...

...Or by using a furniture...

Amphibians have started to arrive to speed up the rescue of the affected.

Still, smiles did never fade. What faded was my worry because around 1 PM, my brother has arrived after being under the water for more than 3 hours. He tried his best to battle the current while ignoring the scorching heat of the sun.

Relief goods were dropped to the hungry crowd. But the wind was pushing the goods away and made them land on the houses. It was drizzling.

And so they thought of a better plan. Relief goods were brought to the ground. Sun plus drizzle equals rainbow over Ortigas. I let out a sigh of hope.

By 6:30 PM, the water has subsided by more or less 2 feet. Long and big trucks were able to transport people. Some of the stranded buses attempted to pass through the road.

Sunday night brought forth a more positive atmosphere. We could see some parts of the pavement which meant that most of the people have left the place and finally would be able to meet their family at home.

Day 8 - The Unraveling of Ondoy's Fury

I was offline for 2 days and missed my blog challenge. Nevertheless, I know I have things in mind to put in my blog. Things that were historical, shocking, scary, and real. I don't think I can even use words to describe the sight. So what I can do is share the snapshots I took during and after Ondoy's fury alongside our home at Ortigas Extension. Such a heartbreaking scene indeed.

I woke up at 11 AM on Saturday shocked by what I saw of Ortigas Extension. The water level was knee-high. I informed my brother who was working at Libis that time not to come home and better stay where he was. It's much safer there than be at risk. However, people seemed not to worry that much about the height and continued on walking through just to get home. You know how we are, we still smile despite the bad news. The water was not yet muddy at that time.

Children were even amazed of the instant pool that formed outside of their residences, thus, enjoyed diving into the waters.

This was the first "boat" I saw that day. It was the vertical half of a plastic drum. They were still enjoying the waters, no fear, no expectations whatsoever. Just playing.

Then at 4:18 PM, I was alarmed by the rapid flow of the river at the floodway. Manila was really caught by surprise. On a normal day, you won't see the water level from my vantage point.

The highest level was witnessed on Saturday night. No one dared to swim the "Ortigas Extension river." People were stranded, not knowing how they were able to pee, eat, or sleep.

Around 9:30 PM, we noticed what seemed to be a smoke of heavy density and thickness at Ortigas Center. I think there was even fire that night.

We slept around past 11 PM praying that the rains would stop and that the water would subside...and hoped that if it was a fire, nobody got hurt.

What Photoworld Asia 2009 Has Offered

This is my first photography class and it's all totally worth it! 

The event by Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF) was held last January 30 - February 3, 2009 at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Conference Hall. The exhibitors such as Kodak, Canon, Nikon, JT Photoworld, Euro Color, Aperture, Avenue, Camera Haus, and Henry's to mention a few had their own booths at Glorietta Activity Center.

The invited speakers shared their own area of specialty.

Mary Fisk-Taylor is an expert when it comes to sales and marketing (get very, very close to the person who has the checkbook *wink*).

Mary's business partner Jamie Hayes is the light master and is into glamour photography (mimic natural sunlight through strobes if the weather is gloomy).

Hanson Fong's forte is to arrange his subjects to produce a perfect portrait. He believes in 3 things: 

1. The woman should look good

2. The woman should look good

3. The man has to pay

All three form a really great team.

Nick Tuason covered Color Management with Nino Carandang's help, while his wife, Pilar Tuason, discoursed a few of her Wedding Photography secrets, Victor Sison of FPPF filled us in with his strobe techniques, Nelson John sampled Photoshop CS4 directly from Singapore via Skype, Bobot Go and George Cabig impressed us with their captured moments and some once-in-a-lifetime chances, John Chua touched our hearts with his Autism project and his other Ad works (and insists in discouraging us never to enter advertising), Fung Yu brought us to the places he has been through his 360° Virtual Reality (VR) outputs, and Neil Confesor amazed us with how he captured things in action, including himself while kayaking via his invented camera-holder.

Sleeplessness did not bother me as I watch them unfold their strategies and unique ways. So many things have been learned from this event and I hope that the application of these lessons would materialize where they are needed.

Best of all, new bonds have been created by new acquaintances!

"Glimpses through Life's Windows"

"The Changed Cross" is a poem that tells of a weary woman who taught that the cross she must bear surely was heavier than those of other people, so she wished she could choose another person's instead. When she went to sleep, she dreamed she was taken to a place where there were many different crosses from which to choose. There were various shapes and sizes, but the most beautiful one was covered with jewels and gold. "This I could wear with comfort," she said. So she picked it up, but her weak body staggered beneath its weight. The jewels and gold were beautiful, yet they were much too heavy for her to carry.

The next cross she noticed was quite lovely, with beautiful flowers entwined around its sculptured form. Surely this was the one for her. She lifted it, but beneath the flowers were large thorns that pierced and tore her skin. Finally she came to a plain cross without jewels or any carvings and with only a few words of love inscribed on it. When she picked it up, it proved to be better than all the rest, and the easiest to carry. And as she looked at it, she noticed it was bathed in a radiance that fell from heaven. Then she recognized it as her own old cross. She had found it once again, and it was the best of all, and the lightest for her.

You see, God knows best what cross we need to bear, and we never know how heavy someone else's cross may be. We envy someone who is rich, with a cross of gold adorned with jewels, but we do not know how heavy it is. We looked at someone whose life seems so easy and who carries a cross covered with flowers. Yet if we could actually test all the crosses we think are lighter than ours, we would never find one better suited for us than our own.

SHARED BY JOE GATUSLAO
Bacolod City, Philippines

Here's the poem:

THE CHANGED CROSS

It was a time of sadness, and my heart,
Although it knew and loved the better part,
Felt wearied with the conflict and the strife,
And all the needful discipline of life.

And while I thought on these, as given me
My trial tests of faith and love to be –
It seemed as if I could never be sure
That faithful to the end I should endure.

And thus, no longer trusting to His might
 Who says, "We walk by faith, and not by sight,"
 Doubting, and almost yielding to despair,
The thought arose ‑‑ My cross I cannot bear:

Far heavier its weight must surely be
Than those of others which I daily see.
Oh! if I might another burden chose,
Methinks I should not fear my crown to lose.

A solemn silence reigned on all around –
E'en Nature's voices uttered not a sound;
The evening shadows seemed of peace to tell,
And sleep upon my weary spirit fell.

A moment's pause ‑‑ and then a heavenly light
Beamed full upon my wondering, raptured sight
 Angels on silvery wings seemed everywhere,
And angel's music filled the balmy air.

Then One, more fair than all the rest to see –
One to whom all the others bowed the knee –
Came gently to me as I trembling lay,
And, "Follow me!" He said; "I am the Way."

Then, speaking thus He led me far above,
 And there, beneath a canopy of love,
 Crosses of divers shape and size were seen,
Larger and smaller than my own had been.

And one there was, most beauteous to behold,
 A little one, with jewels set in gold.
Ah! this, methought, I can with comfort wear,
 For it will be an easy one to bear:

And so the little cross 1 quickly took;
But, all at once, my frame beneath it shook.
 The sparkling jewels fair were they to see,
 But far too heavy was their weight for me.

"This may not be," I cried, and looked again,
To see if there was any here could case my pain,
 But one by one, I passed them slowly by,
 Till on a lovely one I cast my eye.

Fair flowers around its sculptured form entwined,
And grace and beauty seemed in it combined.
 Wondering, I gazed; and still I wondered more
To think so many should have passed it o'er.

But oh! that form so beautiful to see
 Soon made its hidden sorrows known to me;
Thorns lay beneath those flowers and colours fair!
Sorrowing, I said: "This cross I may not bear."

And so it was with each and all around
‑Not one to suit my need could be found;
 Weeping, I laid each heavy burden down,
 As my Guide gently said: "No cross, no crown!"

At length, to Him I raised my saddened heart:
 He knew its sorrows, bid its doubt depart.
 "Be not afraid," He said, "but trust in me –
My perfect love shall now be shown to thee."

And then, with lightened eyes and willing feet,
 Again I turned, my earthly cross to meet,
With forward footsteps, turning not aside,
For fear some hidden evil might betide;

And there ‑‑ in the prepared, appointed way,
 Listening to hear, and ready to obey –
A cross quickly found of plainest form,
With only words of love inscribed thereon.

With thankfulness 1 raised it from the rest,
 And joyfully acknowledged it the best –
The only one of all the many there 
That I could feel was good for me to bear.

And, while I thus my chosen one confessed,
I saw a heavenly brightness on it rest;
 And, as I bent, my burden to sustain,
 I recognized my old cross again.

But oh! how different did it seem to be
Now I had learned its preciousness to see!
No longer could I unbelieving say,
 Perhaps another is a better way.

Ah no! hence forth my own desire shall be,
That He who knows me best should choose for me
 And so, whate'er His love sees good to send,
 I'll trust it's best, because He knows the end.

Anon. Written prior 1865.