Tag: TYPHOON YOLANDA

DAY 12: INSPIRATION FROM TRUEBOOTS

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I was browsing for featured articles on Freshly Pressed to find interesting posts I can comment on and caught sight of the title “Waiting at Tacloban Airport“. Aside from completing my day 11 Zero to Hero challenge, I was really glad to have found Trueboots’ post; a very heartwarming story of selfless service to humankind.

I felt pride and pity all at the same time.

I was proud of the fact that Trueboots replied to my comment, ” I felt honored to be able to help. So many wonderful people in the Philippines!”

Indeed, we are one of the friendliest races in the world. Being wonderfully friendly is an inherent trait of Filipinos; a trait that resounds to the world famous “Filipino Hospitality“. As the only Catholic country in Asia, it may be because of our strong faith that no matter what situation we may be in, good or bad, we always come out of it strong and fighting and smiling. The story of Trueboots is a testimony of my national pride.

Still, I feel sad. The situation in Tacloban was the worst than any one of us can imagine to happen in our life time. It’s like what we see in award-winning movies with the best cinematography; the total destruction of property, lives, and livelihood. It is a nightmare that we can so likely lose our very own selves in hopelessness and doubt; can make us question what we have done wrong to deserve such harsh unimaginable chastisement.

But because we are Filipinos, we can never lose hope and we will never lose hope. Our self-worth is stronger than any tragedy.

“She thanked me for what we did to help them, and then she bent down to open up her one single bag of possessions to pull out a bag of crackers she had.

“Please take some food,” she said, offering me what she had. I was already floored by her bravery–and her generosity just made me cry. Even though some crackers might’ve been a nice change from my days of eating cold MREs, I couldn’t accept her kind offer. But I gave both her and her husband a hug as I left them in line. And I’ll never forget their kindness and generosity in the midst of such a desperate situation.”

These very words of Trueboots moved me to tears. The bravery and generosity – true enough, because we are Filipinos.

MY HEART ACHES FOR MY COUNTRYMEN

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My daughter’s birthday is fast approaching. As much as I want to give her a lavish party, I tightened on my spending and I intend to donate the same to help my countrymen who were victims of the super typhoon haiyan. I am just as happy to have been spared and sad because while I am sitting comfortably and eating my heart out whatever I want on this side of my country, my fellow Filipinos in Leyte suffered a massive, total devastation, with almost nothing to eat and nothing to sleep on.

I have watched the events from day zero. I have taken heed all the advisories and updates flashed on television days before Super Typhoon Haiyan entered the eastern seaboard of the Philippines, as anytime and at any place, it may divert on its supposed areas for landfall. The region where I live was given the signal number 1. I cannot take that for granted because a year back, we were also hit by a super typhoon. We’ve just started to pick up the pieces.

Watching the news in the last ten days, all I see was pain and suffering. But all the same, happy to have seen people from different walks of life from different countries unite to extend help. The help that poured in was overwhelming. The worst of times really bring out all the goodness in people.

While super typhoon Haiyan was recorded as the strongest typhoon ever recorded in the world history, it was equally put up by the strongest of undaunted Filipino spirit. I want to be proud. I want to tell the world how resilient we have become, but my heart grieves for all the lives lost just to prove that we can still smile, stand up and brush our shoulder amidst the worst, worst loss.