5 Things You Realize When Hit By a Catastrophe Like Glenda
Just recently, Typhoon Glenda (International Name: Rammasun) reminded the Philippines that the storm season is again entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility with winds and direction as strong as that of Typhoon Milenyo back in 2006. The devastating storm brought many homes and businesses down with the loss of electric power supply (and, for some, water supply, as well), uprooted trees and dented billboards among others. This circumstance wakes us all up again to the catastrophe-prone country we are in.
I personally realized a lot of things after experiencing all of these these (especially after spending days back in Laguna).
5 Things You Realize When Hit By a Catastrophe Like Glenda
5. Main roads are VERY essential.
All of the fallen debris, trees, and other things that blocked the roads prove that main roads really are essential. It took us a long time to get to places because we had to use longer alternative routes due to electric posts blocking certain parts of the road. It’s during these times that you take notice and give utmost importance to the roads you usually just complain about because of traffic, cars that overtake you and irritating bicycles and tricycles that slow down your travels.
4. Every drop counts.
It may sound like some tagline that an oil company would use, but it is certainly true. Spending Glenda-stricken days back in Laguna without electricity or water made us value every flush that we made when doing numbers 1 and 2, every glass of water that we drank and every pail of water that we used for showering. Every single drop suddenly counted and was valued like gold found only in special caves.
3. Trees give and destroy life.
We all know that trees give life through the oxygen that we breathe, but in times of calamities like this, they can actually destroy lives by falling onto cars, houses and even people. Many have actually been reported to have died because of flying objects and falling trees more than that of drowning. Sadly, these uprooted trees cause a lot of trouble as much as they cause a lot of good stuff on earth.
2. This occurrence teaches us a lot of life lessons.
This could be a lesson the calamity taught us. You shouldn’t park because the sign already told you so.
(Photo from Zhander Cayabyab)
But more than those somehow funny instances, this event teaches us the lessons that Filipinos are known for: bayanihan, close family ties and resilience.
Bayanihan in a sense that in these times of need, we are being called for different relief operations to help those gravely affected by the disaster by donating what we can give or becoming a volunteer. Together, our kababayans can rise again.
And if there’s another life lesson I valued more, it is close family ties. With the loss of electricity, we had the chance to bond as a family and actually talk and tell stories to each other without distractions like television and gadgets (that eventually lost battery power). While we all know that this shouldn’t be done during only times like these, it somehow made us value our relationships because one thing became especially clear: material thing don’t last forever.
Resilience was again also evident in the recent disaster. We see that there are still people who manage to smile amidst the destruction caused by the unforgiving typhoon. And isn’t it uplifting to see people who move on positively in life?
(Photo from Joey Sarte Salceda)
1. There are more people in need of help.
Yes, your complaints are just a tiny piece of what other people are experiencing. You may have lost a car, some parts of your house or your pet who ran out of the house; but other people lost loved ones and had their homes completely destroyed. Your rants on having no electricity, water and being bored all day are no match to their problems of looking for lost relatives and finding ways to regain lost properties and wealth.
This is the biggest realisation: instead of waiting and being cranky about things that’ll eventually be recovered, why not help those who really need help? Then you’ll see why it’s no fun to have no classes or work because of catastrophes like Typhoon Glenda.
5 Things You Realize When Hit By a Catastrophe Like Glenda
Dom is an ambivert, bibliophile, foodie, a heartbeat and lover of movies and the arts. As a student taking up BA Communication Research in UP Diliman, a member of five organizations and a part of his college's student council, Dominic just proves how he truly believes and lives to the Dead Poets Society's carpe diem. Catch a dose of his craziness through his Twitter (@agentDomino) and Instagram (@atthebigdom)
5 Things You Realize When Hit By a Catastrophe Like Glenda
5 Things You Realize When Hit By a Catastrophe Like Glenda
Just recently, Typhoon Glenda (International Name: Rammasun) reminded the Philippines that the storm season is again entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility with winds and direction as strong as that of Typhoon Milenyo back in 2006. The devastating storm brought many homes and businesses down with the loss of electric power supply (and, for some, water supply, as well), uprooted trees and dented billboards among others. This circumstance wakes us all up again to the catastrophe-prone country we are in.
I personally realized a lot of things after experiencing all of these these (especially after spending days back in Laguna).
5 Things You Realize When Hit By a Catastrophe Like Glenda
5. Main roads are VERY essential.
All of the fallen debris, trees, and other things that blocked the roads prove that main roads really are essential. It took us a long time to get to places because we had to use longer alternative routes due to electric posts blocking certain parts of the road. It’s during these times that you take notice and give utmost importance to the roads you usually just complain about because of traffic, cars that overtake you and irritating bicycles and tricycles that slow down your travels.
4. Every drop counts.
It may sound like some tagline that an oil company would use, but it is certainly true. Spending Glenda-stricken days back in Laguna without electricity or water made us value every flush that we made when doing numbers 1 and 2, every glass of water that we drank and every pail of water that we used for showering. Every single drop suddenly counted and was valued like gold found only in special caves.
3. Trees give and destroy life.
We all know that trees give life through the oxygen that we breathe, but in times of calamities like this, they can actually destroy lives by falling onto cars, houses and even people. Many have actually been reported to have died because of flying objects and falling trees more than that of drowning. Sadly, these uprooted trees cause a lot of trouble as much as they cause a lot of good stuff on earth.
2. This occurrence teaches us a lot of life lessons.
This could be a lesson the calamity taught us. You shouldn’t park because the sign already told you so.
(Photo from Zhander Cayabyab)
But more than those somehow funny instances, this event teaches us the lessons that Filipinos are known for: bayanihan, close family ties and resilience.
Bayanihan in a sense that in these times of need, we are being called for different relief operations to help those gravely affected by the disaster by donating what we can give or becoming a volunteer. Together, our kababayans can rise again.
And if there’s another life lesson I valued more, it is close family ties. With the loss of electricity, we had the chance to bond as a family and actually talk and tell stories to each other without distractions like television and gadgets (that eventually lost battery power). While we all know that this shouldn’t be done during only times like these, it somehow made us value our relationships because one thing became especially clear: material thing don’t last forever.
Resilience was again also evident in the recent disaster. We see that there are still people who manage to smile amidst the destruction caused by the unforgiving typhoon. And isn’t it uplifting to see people who move on positively in life?
(Photo from Joey Sarte Salceda)
1. There are more people in need of help.
Yes, your complaints are just a tiny piece of what other people are experiencing. You may have lost a car, some parts of your house or your pet who ran out of the house; but other people lost loved ones and had their homes completely destroyed. Your rants on having no electricity, water and being bored all day are no match to their problems of looking for lost relatives and finding ways to regain lost properties and wealth.
This is the biggest realisation: instead of waiting and being cranky about things that’ll eventually be recovered, why not help those who really need help? Then you’ll see why it’s no fun to have no classes or work because of catastrophes like Typhoon Glenda.
5 Things You Realize When Hit By a Catastrophe Like Glenda
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About The Author
Dom is an ambivert, bibliophile, foodie, a heartbeat and lover of movies and the arts. As a student taking up BA Communication Research in UP Diliman, a member of five organizations and a part of his college's student council, Dominic just proves how he truly believes and lives to the Dead Poets Society's carpe diem. Catch a dose of his craziness through his Twitter (@agentDomino) and Instagram (@atthebigdom)