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EDSA People Power 26th Anniversary Celebration here in Iligan, on Feb. 25, 2012 at MSU-IIT Gymnasium.

Hopefully, popular Manila musicians and personalities would come such as Ogie Alcasid, Momoy Palaboy, Randy Santiago, Cookie Chua and many more.

The family lives in Bayug Island, they now put a new house just close to the washed out one.

It was the birthday of their youngest member of the family when I passed by their place in January. I was touched, I could not give any thing. I promised to myself to comeback and give something.

A month later, I went back , and through my friend’s donations I brought some toys for the kids and gave a little amount to the couple.

Thanks to my friends who sent money to me. I bought Matchbox toys for the kids, and they enjoyed playing it while I was interviewing the Niez couple.

Junior Niez works in a hollow-block factory. He is hesitant to relocate to Sta. Elena because of his job. But encouraged them that they could still find similar job close to the new relocation site.

This house is owned by the father of Junior Niez who takes care of the mango and coconut plantation. It was in this house that 13 families or about 70 people were saved during the flood.

When the water rose, and lumbers hitting the house the father, Junior decided to tie all the the children together, that if they died, all of the five of them could be found all at once.

Junior frowned when he saw his neighbours were the first to climbed the roof, without even helping them. Then he said after, “Sige lang.”

Rhona Niez and her kids playing the Matchbox toys.

They lost all their clothes, and only ate their breakfast and lunch  at around 3pm.

Their house is located about a kilometer from the highway, so relief goods and donations is a scarce for them.

Let’s rebuild their lives and homes. Any help is very much welcome.

Donate through One for Iligan and volunteer  for Gawad Kalinga.

Ever since when I was a kid, the market near the pier is called “mercado”, while the market in Pala-o is “supermarket”.

A teen wearing a jejemon cap buying some vegetables.

These camera shy ladies turned their heads to the other side.

This was about 6:30pm, a busy time for buyers and sellers.

The other side of the road, are stalls that sell rice, sugar, salts, basically dry goods.

A closer shot of the photo above.

Waiting for Buruun or Suarez jeepneys, while a Bayug bound jeep passes by.

CNN’s iReport is similar to GMA7′s Youscoop or ABS-CBN’s Bayan Mo, Ipatrol Mo. The only different is it’s in article format.

Anybody could submit any article, and the CNN iReport staff would approve the article first before being published online.

The author of the article is VeronicaLon, has a listed address of San Juan City, Metro Manila. Probably, an Iliganon based in Manila.

Maria and Cristina

Iligan is known as the ‘City of Majestic Waterfalls’ and the most majestic of the 23 falls is Maria Cristina. It is located on the island of Mindanao and its waters come from the Agus river.

According to legend, the name Maria Cristina Falls comes from the tragic story of two loving sister, namely, Maria and Cristina.

The sisters were well known by the people because of their kindness. They were also the only ones living near the falls.

The two sisters lived peacefully until a son of a prominent Sultan went searching for a bride. He saw the sisters and fell in love with both of them.

Maria realized that he had deep feelings for the Sultan’s son and was anguished about their situation. She decided to end her suffering by letting herself fall from the top of the falls.

Grief stricken by her sister’s demise, Cristina did the same and met her end.

The Sultan’s son discovered their bodies and buried them under the falls. He then named the falls Maria Cristina.

Maria Cristina falls stands at the height of 321.5 feet. It currently powers the Agus 7 Hydroelectric Plant. The plant is operated by NAPOCOR or National Power Corporation. 70% of Mindanao’s electricity is generated by this plant.

NAPOCOR has made the area a good tourist and family spot as well. They opened Nature’s Park in 2010. It is a great place for people with a desire for adventure. The large natural land has ziplines which consists of four parts, two over a thick area of trees and the other two over the strong currents of Maria Cristina which give zip liners a unique view of the falls.

The park also has a wall climbing facility, a butterfly farm, a crocodile farm and a zoo.

There has been talks that a proposal was made to put up a white water rafting facility in the park too. Now, wouldn’t that be something to look forward to.

Source: CNN ireport

No requirements needed, just your 2×2 size photo, the registration form and the P340 payment.

No other ID is required. So a terrorist could get one in no time.

I did a little investigation by asking other bloggers online.

According to Kathy: “150 lang. Las Pinas.”

Akosire: “I paid 300+ kc may dala ako 2×2 pics.. pag wala 400+ bayad. Im from pampanga.”

Mhar : “In our town, my mother paid P500 total.”

Ness: “i paid Php500 for my ID. Got it in San Juan Post office.”

Grace: “I remember paying Php350 and waited for 3 days bago makuha ang laminated postal ID.”

After I got my ID, I paid for my own lamination. Residents from other cities in the Philippines said their post office was the one who did the lamination.

I did not receive any receipt. A blogger from Manila paid a total P300, but on the receipt was only P175.00.

I need this postal ID for opening a bank account. Meaning, a terrorist could get his own bank account.

I hope the local post office head or the city mayor could do something about this. Let’s start now to curb corruption.

About 30 to 35 houses were reduced to nothing. Not an inch of wall or columns could be seen in some houses.

The death toll including the missing persons are about 50, maybe even more.

The set of photos was shot five (5) days after the typhoon, except for the last one, taken last January 23.

My first shot of Orchids Homes. The houses on the left part got minor damage because of the trees in front of the photo. But on the farther right, rubble was left.

Man on the left is working to clean up one of the houses in Orchids Homes.

Partially damaged house, but still a deadly sight. Not sure if the people inside this home survived.

The road is covered with mud even if did not practically rain for the last five days.

The affluent side of Orchids Homes were not spared.

The area close to Mandulog River. On this part of the village, exactly 20 houses were reduced to rubble by the deadly logs and even cars. I counted the remaining houses on the left, it was 10 units. Usually, village planners designed it equally. I assumed the other side of the road were 1o units.

The remaining houses slightly closer shot. Roofs were probably removed by those who lived here during the flood.

These people are acting like tourists, taking photos with the broken homes as their background.

The Madulog River and Bayug Island could be seen from Orchids Homes. The broken concrete is most likely a portion of the column (post).

This is probably part of a perimeter fence.

The house of the Bongabong family. All of the five people living here have survived.

A “didang boy” smiling for this shot, while his cohort on red jacket is also busy “stealing” some stuff. Didang is Bisaya for salvage.

Another angle showing are were 20 houses were wiped out.

The car of  Boy Basilio whose house is nowhere in sight. The car owner managed to survived. Basilio is a known owner of a beauty parlour, which was located in another place was also flooded.

The red house was a refuge of several survivors.

The mud is starting to get dry. Some houses were still buried in mud, some owners did not bother to return.

Domingo family, retrieving some stuff buried under the mud.

qweqwe

The bible retrieved under the mud at the Domingo residence in Orchids Homes.

School stuff of Jayson Maurice Domingo who’s still missing. His father would shake his head everytime he recovers some stuff that 10 year old Jasyon owned.

This unassuming house saved a lot of lives.

Missing notice of Jayson Maurice Domingo and Chrismar Domingo, 10 years old and 1 year old respectively.

Seventh Day Adventist church. Two pulis officers guarding the houses on this side of Orchids homes to protect it from thieves.

Capsized multicab stuck by the mangrove.

This is Lindy Francisco. She said all four of them were safe. They climbed the roof, though there was a close call when one of his boys fell, but managed to get back on top of the roof.

In front of the house of Lindy Francisco. The house collapsed after a car hit it, killing two people who were on the roof.

The tent made by Glorious Gospel Church standing on its former location.

Iligan New Life Christian Center prioritized its members who live in Santiago, one of the areas struck by the flood. Then a few days later went to Hinaplanon, Rogongon, Mandulog, Tambacan or just practically every place that were swept by the flood.

One after afternoon, few days after Sendong, I was with pastor Cocoy Sabarre roaming around Iligan City searching for possible areas for the relief goods to be distributed.

Other private, and even politicians from faraway cities in Mindanao partnered with New Life, joining forces in medical mission, giving relief items and toys to the affected.

A few of those who came were Davao Builders, 700 Club’s Operation Blessing, mayors from Butuan and Mlang, Cotabato.

Thinking of partnering with New Life through volunteering or financially?

Get to know New Life Christian Center through its website, NewLifeIligan.com.

Call telephone or cellphone number: 32239712,(63)-639202939505,(63)-63 09994570940.

It’s bank account in BPI (Bank of Philippine Islands), account no. 9350-0069-47.

Hearing stories of survival from the Sendong survivors somehow inspires me. Gone will be depression or at least overcome by the stories of the people below.

I was in the commencement ceremony of the GK housing project for Sendong survivors in Sta. Elena.

One of the survivors Joanne Valdez was invited to speak about her experience. After her talk, I approached and asked her again a few questions and told her if I could interview her again the following day.

We both agreed that we meet at the evacuation center in Sta. Filomena high school campus in the morning.

I arrived around 10:45 am, but for some reason she was not there. Instead I met these two women whose tent just stood nearby Joanne’s.

They told me of their lack and frustrations, but holding it back a bit when I told them I’m just a volunteer. But I did tell them that VP Binay through City Hall is giving P3,000 financial assistance to small business owners who were affected by Sendong.

They offered me a monobloc chair to sit on, I refused, I don’t want to feel special, survivors should get special treatment.

Erlinda Torres and Loyla Nangcas
Erlinda Torres and her daughter Loyla Nangcas agreed to be interviewed. They asked me a few curious questions, I noticed in their questions that they were frustrated and needing a lot of help. Relief goods were not enough for them.

They lost practically everything. They want to sell Balut again, but currently don’t have the money.

Erlinda Torres cries as she recounts what her husband went through during the flood. He was found alive the following day Sunday at 2pm in Dalipuga, about 8 kilometers from Bayug Island.

Erlinda told me that her husband saw the much talked about “huge ship surrounded with lights”. She said, he closed his eyes and when he opened it, the ship was no longer there.

She wants to go back doing business again. Before the flood, she used to sell vegetables at the market by day, and balut at night.

Her daughter, Loyla Nangcas is married and has one daughter, her husband and only daughter survived.

Loyla’s husband was temporarily swept by the flood, but got hold of a coconut tree. He also saved two kids, all three of them hugging the coconut tree for 12 to 13 hours, waiting for the flood to recede.

The flood started at 1:00am. So probably they climbed down at 2:00pm. Wow, that must be exhausting. I admire their will to survive.

She, her daughter and mother ran  to the highway, and was blessed to climbed up to a two storey office located just beside the road.

Just like her mother, Loyla wants to sell balut again, her husband’s temporary job of quarrying sands at Bayug Island only earns them 100 day. She used to earn more than 200 pesos a day selling balut at Mindanao Sanitarium and Hospital, near Mackies in Tibanga.

They were both kind and willing to grant my request to go to the site of their homes in Bayug Island.

Erlinda Torres standing on where her house used to stand.

Loyla Nangcas and her daughter standing on site of their wiped out home. See the two sticks on their right and left? It is to used as a marker.

Her daughter is scared to go back to school, the flood has a significant effect on her.

Primitiba Emborong
Primitiba caught us up in Bayug Island. She is also lives in the tent city at Sta. Filomena high school.

She and her husband Ricardo were swept by the wild flood, and landed in Manticao, Misamis Oriental. That’s probably 30 to 40 kilometres away from Iligan City.

She was claiming the Psalm 91, “I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.”

As she was riding in the wave, she prayed, “Lord, please e likay ang mga troso!” and the raging big trees would miraculously evade her.

She too saw the ship along Mandulog river.

Her mother in law and granddaughter is currently missing.

Primitiba and Ricardo Emoborong standing on their former homes. Ricardo took a quick break from quarrying the sand nearby, just for this shoot.

The neighbours of Purok Duranta, Bayug Island.

Let’s rebuild their lives and homes. Any help is very much welcome.

Donate through One for Iligan and volunteer  for Gawad Kalinga.