So you probably heard the news. Mang Cosme has hit Northern Luzon and left thousands of families homeless. My hometown is apparently the most ravaged in Zambales - Sta. Cruz. Indeed, I saw the news, saw familiar landmarks, even saw my cousin's internet shop with computers drenched, all houses roofless, no electricity.
I was trying to call up my parents for no particular reasons this weekend. I wasn't informed, I hardly keep up. But they were unavailable. Apparently, their mobile phones have no charged batteries anymore. And with the damage Cosme had caused, it would probably take them a month for electricity to go back to normal.
My sisters in Manila just informed me that our parent's house lost its roofs, our car was hit (Don't know if the insurance would handle the reparation expenses), all trees were broken/fallen (Including those mango trees that my Mom planted ages ago. They just started to bear fruits.) and our ricefield was flooded, and so, damaged (Meaning all investments washed away, no harvest this season). The only good news is that my parents are safe. Which is the most important news.
As far as I could remember, we already had the same calamity ages ago (I was probably 7 years old) but we only lost our roofs. It was during the night and we woke up floating on our instant swimming pool. We in fact slept in the basement, on a bamboo bed, so it floated. I could remember how happy I was playing with our swimming pool.
Rip-Current Deaths
Raqgold's entry about a drowning incident in one of the beaches in Zambales disturbed me. It's a story which is a déjà vu for me. I felt a certain familiarity to it. Aren't these the kinds of incidents where oldies would say Marami talagang na-eengkanto dyan. Taon-taon may kinukuha dyan. Aren't these the kinds of incidents why my parents always warned us against going to the seashore?
There was never any scientific explanation to it. Province people has always relied to kababalaghan, sa sabi ng matatanda, sa tadhana. But as I said, I was kind of disturbed. Me and my siblings, inspite the warning from our parents, are beach lovers. Philippine beaches are there to indulge to, and lifeguards are almost nowhere. We need not rely our lives to life security which is not there. We need to be responsible. I found this link which explains what this phenomenon is and how to avoid it. And why not, save lives. Please do me a favor. Read it.
13 years ago
15 comments:
Good to know your parents are safe. Several areas were really hit hard by Cosme. It was mostly the wind which was really very strong.
Yes, it is a common belief here sa Pinas that every year, the seas take a life or two. 2 years ago a friend of my dad also drowned in Bataan most likely due to a rip current.
Good to hear that your parents are safe.
We have so much beliefs until now we can't dispute if its true or not.
I am sorry to hear about the typhoon. Released that your parents are alright. And I hope too for the others. It was 4 yrs. ago that roofs of our vacation house in Quezon were thrown away by the typhoon so I know how it feels. Most especially if we cannot contact them right away! It's really worrying us.
Since I partly grew up in Quezon province, my grandparent's house is probably around 500 meters away (not so sure of the distance) from the beach. Inhabitants are mostly fishers and farmers they also have the same stories happening almost everyday especially during summer.
Since it is a backward area people are not informed about this therefore we call it beliefs or the danger of rip current. I am sure that there are scientific explanations (according to the link you gave) but the problem few people explain how these things exist/happen. Thank you for an additional info Ana, this will definitely educate readers including me.
Take care !
Cookie, i saw the videos nga, and it's really saddening.. but how could we counter to that di ba..
common belief nga talaga, raqgold's post just made me think further, there must be an explanation.. that means to say that before, i was like everybody, not that i believe to that engkanti or something, i just dont find/searched the explanation.
Maya, yeah, too much. And when I talk to the oldies, they kind of hate me when I say that there's a scientific explanation to everything..
Haze, i was educated myself too.. ewan, when i went to bed last night, i was still thinking about raqgold's blog.. i know a lot of people stay with that belief mainly because yun na ang nakasanayan.. or oras na talaga nya yun.. if only we're more informed di ba... we could probably avoid such kind of accidents..
ayun, i sent the link to my family and friends na, that site would probably get a lot of clicks from my clan lol.
Hi Analyse,
I'm so sorry to hear that your town was ravaged by Cosme and that your parent's roof, car and rice field was damaged. It's easy to say that they are just material things that can be replaced but it's still devastating. I'm relieved to hear that your parents are unhurt.
I am so sorry to know about what happened to your parents and their belongings. My children are with my parents in Iba when the typhoon came. A major repair is needed on the roof, even before the storm came and we can't thank God enough that they were spared.
Re kababalaghan, totoo yata yan. Every year, either a newly grad, a soon-to-graduate young person, kinukuha sa me amin sa Iba.
I hope everything will be ok. Take care, Ana.
I'm glad your parents are fine. I'm sure the family will rally together to patch up what the storm destroyed.
KK, I tried hard to sound positive, but yes, it's really devastating!
Julie, I'm glad you're family's ok. 80% of the houses in SC are damaged, we're not spared :(
Joanne, yeah, more emails on how we could organize/help, thus more bonding time with my sis..
at least you are assured of the safety of your family here in Pinas.
Cosme left many homeless as I've seen in the news. at this time that we're experiencing all sorts of crisis (ie. rice, prices of basic goods, gasoline), it's disheartening to know natural calamities added to the burden.
God is always merciful. let's just pray everything will be alright.
I am so sorry to heart his news Ana. I really hope that your family will be able to rise from under the impact of this calamity.
hi ana, am glad to hear your parents are ok. materials possessions are simply that, materials. am sure your family and the province would bounce back, am positive. and thanks for letting more people know about anawangin beach, and giving a link of info about rip current and what to do about it. minsan kasi yun na nga, sanay na silang may masamang nangyayari, so wala lang, ganun lang. although ang dapat lang namang gawin e info dissemination at signages at sempre magtalaga ng mga taong pwedeng magbigay ng first aid esp kung liblib na lugar talaga.
Thank God,your parents are safe,that's the most important thing.Bahala na ang material things ang mawala kasi mapapalitan pa naman yan.Glad that Mindanao are never experienced this kind of calamity.Hope the people in your town can cope up from this unmercy calamity.
GRABEH, ana. Nalula ako don sa story ng family mo in Luzon. I can imagine my internet shop would have the same state, mama mia.
Hope the shop is insured, bec our Internet shop was insured OBLIGATORY by the cityhall, all types (fire, bomb,natural calamity).after the Glorrietta fire, they start to get serious the cityhalls,haha
As you said, buti sina mama at papa buhay pa. they can start building again the loss, even sakit sa loob.
i still give you my hug, buntis ka pa naman ,not to worry much.
Against the calamity kasi, we cannot really do much.
hi can i come in to your blog? Yes. typhoon cosme devastated Sta cruz Zambales. It's good to know that your parents are safe.
Calamity come unpredictable. Pray na lang tayo.
Hi, I thought you were from Dagupan City like me. Next to Zambales, it was one of the worst hit by Cosme. Buti na lang walang floods pero the winds were ruthless. I heard of rip tides before but your link is very informative. Now I truly understand what it meant.
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