Ang Kuwento ng G Skwad's ULYSSESperience

By Nancy D. Galang, M.A.

"There are some things you can only learn in a storm." - Joel Osteen

While braving the many storms in my life, I have 
learned to always look ahead  to brighter days.

Bagyo. Lahat tayo nakaranas nito, both figuratively and literally. Ang kaibahan, ang literal na bagyo, may forecast. Ang figurative na bagyo, wala. Dumarating sa buhay natin nang di tayo ready.

Si Ulysses, alam kong darating dahil Signal Number 3 ang Manila. Badly hit ang Marikina at Cainta. At taga-Cainta po ang G Skwad.

We moved here last July 2019. Masaya kami at nagkaroon muli ng sariling bahay. We felt so blessed. Dahil ang kauna-unahang bahay namin sa Quezon City, nawala sa amin dahil sa di inaasahang pangyayari. One of the saddest moments in my life was when I had to let it go. And I swore then, magkakaroon ng bahay muli ang G Skwad.

I fell in love with this house insantly. But after 
Ulysses, napaisip ako, should we stay or should we
go?

And God blessed us with this house. Hindi man may sari-sariling kuwarto ang G Skwad, it is big enough for us. The subdvision's main road has a lot of commercial establishments like 7-11, Watson's, Alfamart, etc. which makes it really convenient for us, lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya. Marami rin akong mga close friends who live near the area.

Pero pagdating ni Ulysses, gusto namin lisanin ang bahay. Natakot kami kasi first time namin ma-experience ang baha as a family. First time ito ng G Skwad.

Ikukuwento ko lang ang experience namin if I may. Wednesday night nang masimula ang malakas na ulan. Same night nang mag-brownout. Then hindi na huminto ang malakas na hangin at ulan hanggang kinabukasan.

Thursday morning, I woke up, looked out the window, and saw my car almost submerged in knee deep flood in our street. I panicked instantly and woke up Nix and Rocky.

Despite this seemingly negative
image, I somehow found serenity looking
 at its stillness. God was telling me,
"Be still and know that I am God."

They held both sides of the gate kasi nililipad ng hangin. Sugod ako sa baha. As is, where is. Kung ano suot ko sa pagtulog, 'yun na 'yun! Pagpasok ko sa car, I was praying na mag-start... and it did! Thank God.

Naipasok ko halfway sa elevated garage namin ang sasakyan pero madulas ang tiles kaya't halfway through, umusok ang kotse and the kids panicked. Pinababa nila ako sa sasakyan.

Nix kept on holding the gate para 'wag ito hanginin at 'wag mabunggo sa sasakyan. Ang lakas ng ulan and naawa ako sa sight na nauulanan lang s'ya and she could not let go. Ginaw na ginaw na siya, pero wala din ako magawa, natataranta ako at anytime lulubog na ang kotse.

Meantime, nag-iisip ako paano ko maipapasok sa garahe. Mayamaya dumaan ang neighbors namin na mag-aama (tatlo sila) and they helped push the car to the garage. Thank God!

Nung medyo relaxed na ako, I heated the tocino and cooked soup for our brunch. Since medyo basa na ang floor sa baba, inakyat namin ang food and we all ate in my room. I could say it was kind of inconvenient (we made the pull out bed our table), but in my mind, masaya ako na we were all together and safe despite the calamity. Thank God!

Later, I looked at the freezer to check, do I have enough supplies? At times like this, no one knows hanggang kailan ka mai-stranded sa loob ng bahay. Mayroon na lang akong luncheon meat, longganisa, at burger patties at isang pirasong sayote! Enough for a day I guess. Payday was near, and usually critical days ang mga araw bago magsuweldo. 'Yung tipong you are waiting for your salary para makapag-grocery at replenish ng supplies.

I told myself, one-day-at-a-time approach na muna, kapag naubusan ng pagkain at nandito pa rin kami sa loob ng bahay, then saka ko na iisipin. At least, we have food for the whole day. Thank God!

Then the night came, Rocky and Nix prepared candles and any source of light we can make use of sa magdamag.

The three kids, with Nadja, also gave their dogs a bath in our second floor CR. Para the pets can all sleep with us in my room. (Of course usually sa baba lang sila).

One of our fur babies, Beyonce in my room's
balcony. 

Si Nastassia, since she was pregnant and due this month, I told her to just stay in bed as much as she can since madilim at madulas.

Ako naman, I was monitoring the water level in our street from my room's balcony. It was then that I had the opportunity to chat with my neighbor MJ, a young man who lives (with his sister and cousin) in the adjacent duplex, as we were both in the balcony at that moment. On ordinary days, MJ and I would not have the time to talk, but this time, we got to know each other a little bit more. Thank God!

We talked about my kids, and how he said na mabuti pa raw kami masaya (naririnig n'ya kasi na nagkakantahan na ang mga bata, while Nadja was playing the guitar). So I told him how it was nice na parang barkada ko na lang ang mga anak ko at this time na malalaki na sila. Bigla kong na-appreciate ang isa sa mga greatest blessings ko - my four wonderful kids (and soon to be apo!). Thank God!

According to him, umabot ng hanggang leeg ang tubig sa may gate ng subdivision. Karamihan sa neighbors ko, pinasok ang bahay (below the knee) pero sa amin, dahil nga mataas, hanggang talampakan lang. Thank God!

This was how the subdivision's main road
looked like before lunch of Friday,
November 13. - CTTO

Before we slept that night, my G Skwad and I talked about our emergency plan as we were particularly worried about Nastassia (Clarice). Paano pag bigla s'yang nag-labor? So I got hold of the Cainta emergency number, and inquired about rescue. Naka-ready anytime and truck which can pick us up. However, we decided to do it in the morning para mas madali. Ok pa naman si Clarice.

Later, we gathered in my bed and prayed together. Matagal-tagal na rin namin itong hindi nagagawa. We started this way back 2017 nung kami-kami na lang at wala na ang daddy nila.

Nix led the prayer. We prayed for the water to subside (the image of the still water in our street is still etched in my mind - the feeling of fear that it can go higher, hindi ko malilimutan). We also prayed for Clarice to NOT give birth yet. Then we prayed for all those who had it worse - 'yung mga nawalan ng bahay. 'Yung mga nawawala pa ang kaanak at nagkawatak-watak. Sila na stranded at walang shelter and supply ng food at nag-aantay pa ng rescue hanggang sa mga oras na ito. 

The G Skwad learned a lot of lessons from 
Ulysses, as well as from other "storms" in
our lives.

Luckily for us, kinabukasan ay nailikas namin si Clarice. Nadja went with her as they were fetched by a dear family friend and brought to my sister Noemi's house. Sinugod n'ya ang mataas niyang sasakyan sa baha and she made it to our house. Thank God!

Si Nix, Rocky at ako, we stayed and cleaned the house, pati kalye sa tapat namin.

November 13, around 5pm. Nix, 
Rocky and I, swept away the mud on
our street with some neighbors.

Later, nagpasundo na rin si Nix sa boyfriend niya. Hindi din kasi namin alam kung anong oras magkakaroon ng koryente at kung kailan huhupa ang baha. Rocky and I decided to stay with our pets.

Naramdaman ko ang pagod kinagabihan na ng Friday. Nagka-moment din ako ng self pity sandali. 'Yung awa ba sa sarili na ang hirap ng singleD kapag ganitong mga sandali na takot na takot ka sa puwedeng mangyari at ikaw lang ang may ako sa mga bata. Pero sandali, I told myself, kasama ko naman ang G Skwad. I was also in touch with my family and they were ready to help us.

Looking back at this experience, I am so touched, looking at my kids and how they coped, and how we all helped take care of each other during the calamity. Masuwerte ako na sa gitna ng bagyo, I have them. And I mean sa dalawang klase ng bagyo - literal man o hindi.

Itong Ulysses, there is a lesson to be learned on being prepared next time. Equip ourselves with emergency supplies like canned goods, candles, emergency light, charged powerbanks, dogfood and catfood, etc. (Ipasok ang sasakyan at may garahe naman!)

I used to see these sort of images in
the news and never thought I would
get as close. - CTTO

Samantala, ang bagyong figurative, hindi napaghahandaan. Bigla itong dumarating, we don't know when, we don't know the gravity at kung gaano kalakas. Pero gaya ng tunay na bagyo, may leksiyon din. Mas marami pa nga kung tutuusin.

Maraming bagyo na ang dinaanan namin ng G Skwad. I'm sure kayo din, mga Nan-sis (Nanay-sisters). And through each storm, we helped each other cope like we did during Ulysses.

We learned a few important lessons, like having unwavering faith and trusting God that help will come in many forms and through different people in times of crises.

We also learned that we have so many blessings to count despite the trials ---  and that other people have worse problems. That's why sa tingin ko,  the G Skwad has become more sympathetic and compassionate with other people. 

Lastly, we learned that it is important to be united sa harap ng bawat bagyo. Laging magdamayan. Because hindi kakayanin kung hindi magtutulungan.

Kaya, mga Nan-sis, lalo na sa mga taga-Cainta at Marikina, and other areas na adversely affected, kapit lang. Alam kong "Pagoda Philippines" tayong lahat sa kakalinis ng putik sa loob ng mga bahay natin. Pero, buhay tayo. Kasama natin ang ating mga mahal sa buhay. May pagkain. May tubig. May ilaw na. May internet. Soon everything will go back to normal. Next time, alam na natin. Let's be more prepared.

There are still so many things to
be thankful for...like this "rescue" tank.

Pero para sa iba na matatagalan pang bumalik sa normal ang buhay, let's help them in whatever way we can. Let's include them in our prayers. Di hamak na mas grabe ang dinanas nila.

Kahit gaano kalakas ang bagyo, masusundan din ng araw pagkatapos. Sabi nga sa song ng Southborder, "Even if there is pain now, everything will be alright... There's a rainbow always after the rain."

Lahat ng bagay, bagyo, baha, may
katapusan. There will always be
better days.

Until then. Catch you later!

Nancy Mommy