Childhood in the Path of Typhoons - Nice T. Mancha

 Childhood in the Path of Typhoons

A Visayan Literature

By: Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

 

When we speak of Typhoons and Storms, the Philippines is one on the list. It is very common for us to experience such calamities aside from earthquakes as we are lying in the Ring of Fire, and we are facing the Pacific Ocean, which is commonly the starting point of typhoons.

Last December 16, 2021, we were severely hit by the Strong Typhoon Rai, locally known as Odette. It was the most unforgettable “couple of hours” in our lives as we fought, hardly prayed, and patiently waited for the typhoon to pass. Strong winds, heavy rains, and the possible storm surge, floods, or landslides that we eagerly take care of and observe since it is always expected to happen.

 

In our case, we are also part of those people who are living in the coastal areas. The sea is just meters away. When the typhoon was approaching, we were already prepared as we’re also monitoring the progress of the typhoon. We had our small backpacks and bags with basic necessities like a few clothes, foods, water, flashlights, and a first aid kit. Especially since we have a toddler, which is my niece. We also had our roofs protected with ropes or in our language, “banting”. We were this eager for the upcoming typhoon as we already learned our lesson during Typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda, the highlight of the story that I read.

 

During Typhoon Yolanda, our roofs flew and it was more devastating as on that same year, a few months before the typhoon happened, my father passed away.

 

We learned our lesson, we evacuated in my aunt’s house as it is more elevated than ours. But no matter how much you’re prepared for something, unexpected things usually happen, and it did! We didn’t expect that sea flood could enter our house and surroundings. All of us didn’t expect this to happen, even our parents and aunts since in their lifetime. That’s the first time that the seawater could reach up to our shoulder in our neighbor's area. Luckily, our compound is much more elevated so it only reached up to our thighs. Our fence got broken, sea flood entered our house, garbage, woods, and other things also entered. It took us a week to clean and get rid of the water, mud, and garbages. Not to mention no electricity, no network, signal, internet, scarcity, and high demand for water and fuel.

 

This could be a lesson – a memoir that we could keep as we continue living. Despite everything, we are all blessed and grateful that we survived – we surpassed this expected yet unexpected situation in all our lives.

 

In this New Year, we may continue to hope that better days are coming. We live for a cause, we live for a story to tell, and we continue striving and living for a better life. That when things like this happen, we are stronger, bolder, wiser, and smarter than we used to be.

 

Again, thank you so much for reading! This is Nice Mancha from Grade 11 – St. Andrew.