HAND-IN-HAND IN HABAGAT

HAND-IN-HAND IN HABAGAT

Calvin Chu

Underwater world. That was the picture as torrential rains poured down on Metro Manila and nearby provinces for 8 consecutive days last August 2012. Houses submerged in flood waters. Cars rendered useless. People soaking wet and cold, waiting on rooftops for rescue boats. Schooling halted with public schools and other public infrastructures filled to the brim with people seeking shelter from the flooding. The rains were not due to a typhoon, but were brought about by a natural phenomenon called the Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat in native tongue. It is an annual occurrence, but with the changes in climate resulting from years of mismanagement of the environment, this year proved to be catastrophic. According to data from PAGASA, 363.7mm of rainfall in a span of 24 hours (80% that of Ondoy) precipitated the flash flooding that affected nearly a million families in the NCR, CALABARZON, and Region 3 provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, and Pampanga. With people forced to leave their homes, business operations interrupted for days, and farmlands in nearby provinces damaged, those who rely on day to day income for their living were left to rely on others for help.

In less than a week, Care Caravan mobilized a relief operation, Project: Habagat. Packing was done in a warehouse of a sister in Christ, through her family’s generosity. Packing around 3,200 canned goods, 16,000 packs of noodles, and 20,000 kg of rice individually would take a lot of time, and the goods were needed urgently.