Hope between waters
Year:
2011
Framing it from the Philippine map, Bulacan is among the agricultural lands in Region III. Its farms contribute to the supply of rice in the country. On the side, it also produces sea products such as fish, shrimps, and crabs. But on the September 27 onslaught of Typhoon Pedring, a huge part of the agricultural landmark became a catch basin due to the simultaneous release of water from six dams.
The green fields and its enveloping towns turned into a tub of submerged community. Two of which are Hagonoy and Calumpit.
Kelvin Parohinog, Head of the DOS1 Contact Services Operations, shares how his family faced the challenge, the evacuation mission for the LGC Chairman’s relatives, and the words of wisdom from his six-year old daughter.
Comparing landscapes
Calumpit has a higher land elevation compared to Hagonoy. Hagonoy is known for its abundant fish ponds. Water level wise, a two-storey flood in Calumpit is equal to a three-storey flood in Hagonoy.
October 2, 2011: Mission evacuate
9:00 AM - Kelvin together with HR Director Jun Lauro and LGC security officers arrived in Malolos, Bulacan’s capital and one of the dry lands in the province, to make arrangements with the authorities. The goal was to evacuate Chairman Bert Lina’s Aunt Julita Lina in Hagonoy and Kelvin’s family in Calumpit.
11:00 AM - Riding in an army truck with no roof under the rain, an LGC security personnel seized the concealed road leading to Hagonoy.
Meanwhile, the Calumpit mission was quickly terminated due to the strong water current that hindered even huge vehicles to pass.
Back to the Hagonoy mission, Aunt Julita and her other four family members were located at the third floor of their house. The evacuation aid was just in time that their food supply was already running out and the drinking water source almost dry.
One of Aunt Julita’s home companion was Tito Archie who needed medical attention because of his three-day dialysis delay.
5:30 PM - The accustomed 10-minute travel from Hagonoy to Malolos extended to five hours. Tito Archie was immediately brought to the Santos General Hospital for treatment.
Aunt Julita and her family went ahead to Guiguinto where a relative welcomed them home.
Adjusting to the current
During the typhoon surge, Kelvin was in his office in Parañaque while his family was at home in Calumpit. As the water level rose, his wife together with their two children transferred to his in-law’s compound for added security.
Kelvin’s six-year old daughter DOS advised that instead of worrying, he should just stay in the office because coming to the flood for the family might double the problem. The water intensity is too challenging and possible difficulties may arise with it.
“I decided to de-focus my attention from things I have no control of”, shares Kelvin.
The water level was relatively higher compared to the 2009 flood brought by the Typhoon Ondoy. The water rose too quick that people got trapped before they could have responded.
Hope rises amidst it all. “Like water, it always finds its way out”, he said as the day furnished a sunny afternoon and the flood starts to subside.
Re-uniting with waters
On October 5 at 2:30 PM, Kelvin, together with an LGC security officer and vehicle, travelled going to Calumpit to pick up his family. Altogether, they took a boat ride going to Apalit, Pampanga. After the ride, Kelvin, his wife Farrah, son GSM, and daughter DOS walked for another two kilometers of thigh high flood water to get to the van heading to Manila.
At 6:30 PM, Kelvin’s family safely arrived in Tagaytay where they will be staying until the flood in Calumpit subsides completely.
***
This teamwork and determination shown by the LGC community dominate all hindrances. In challenging times, anything would be possible just to bring our families back into our arms.
*photos courtesy of Kelvin Parohinog
