But sadly, as work resumes, so does the pride of actually being a Filipino wane. It is so sad that my entire perception of how there is so much hope for the Filipino is suddenly shattered by the few people who have calloused hearts and has lost all sense in the meaning of goodness. When I say calloused, those insensitive enough to take upon themselves to take advantage of people during this time of need when most of our fellow countrymen have little or nothing to eat and has lost all shelter.

I am not talking about the tiny little facebook post by that Jaques girl from Dubai. It goes past the digital community. It was something very concrete and real that I just had to talk about it.

On my way back from the Department for Foreign Affairs for my personal appearance requirement to renew my passport, I had to take a cab. It took me quite some time to actually flag one down in the busy street of Libertad. When finally a new Toyota Vios cab pulled up on the curb.

Watch out for the covered meter. Black tape and you should get down

I opened the door.

The cab driver was nice. He smiled a lot. I told him “Kuya sa may The Fort.”(Sir, I’m going to The Fort area) He quickly nodded and acknowledged that he knew where I was going. I sat in the front seat.

I quickly checked if the flag down rate was correct. (I am a bit paranoid about these things.) I noticed that there was black electrical tape over the meter. I asked him:

“Kuya ano yan? Bakit may tape?” (Sir what is that? Why is there tape over the meter?”

He replied, “Ganun na po ngayon, bagong metro yan. Kada kilometro ang bayad.” (That is how it is now. That is a new meter. You pay per kilometer.)

I was amazed. I saw this on the news about a month ago. I wanted to indulge him. “Magkano naman per Kilometer?”

I got a short reply: “P100“

P100 per kilometer? That is just absurd. A normal taxi rate would run from about P10 pero kilometer.

I quickly answered: “Ok. Pero wag na sa Fort. Sa Abs mo nalang ako dahlhin. Baka makaabot pa tayo sa taping ng Tv Patrol.”  (Ok but don’t take me to the Fort. Take me to ABS-CBN(a local TV Station). We might make it to the taping of TV PATROL (a local news tv show))”

He just smiled. The balls of this guy.

He just said “sige po di bale nalang” (ok sir, nevermind). He pulled over and let me down the cab without paying.

I quickly made a mental note of his taxi name. It is a white toyota vios, taxi name Aileen. The guy driving is an elderly male, around 40+ years old with a mustache. (You know those 1980′s and 1990′s bad guys from those old movies? He looked like a goon!!)

How A Taxi Meter Should Look Like

Its sad to see that there are people like this amidst the calamity we all suffered. Thousands of people had their lives literally swept away in the flash flood and people, like this taxi driver, have the guts to deceive people and take advantage of the situation. Today, when everyone needs a hero, where volunteerism was starting to arise amidst widespread depression and corruption, where there was just a glimmer of hope for our country, reality hits you smack in the face. I know I shouldn’t judge because of one incident. I shouldn’t let my hope die just because some people choose not to be noble. I had always believed that the end will never justify the means. I suppose the burden now lies unto me. Do I choose to let some taxi driver dampen my hopes for our future? Or do I use this as my driving force to make a better future for me or my children. I saw someone post this on facebook as her status and I give credits to Shox for the quote. She says:

Life is not waiting for the storm to pass, its learning how to dance in the rain.

Ondoy literally means “Little Boy“

We lost all forms of communication last Saturday night amidst all the commotion happening in the Philippines and most especially the Metro. I was literally left nothing to do. I couldn’t go out because of the flooding. I couldn’t do anything. I hate being a spectator but that was just I am during these troubling times. No Pringles entry for now because of the disaster. I guess we never actually grasped what the provinces of Bicol experience during these really big floods. We’ve been so disconnected with the rest of the Philippines. But good ole’ mother nature brought the cause right at our doorstep. I was amazed that at this day and age, so much flooding can happen in Metro Manila. Houses sinking, cars being left at the mercy of flood waters, we were unprepared. We were caught off-guard. We never expected this. I have no idea what the Government is doing. Presidential  Gibo Teodoro for sure is not getting my vote this coming May 2010 elections. We’ve heard so little from him. The areas I heard most in the news are Marikina and Pasig. Mayor Marites Fernando and Presidential Candidate Bayani Fernando, what are you doing? (Live up to your name-sake! They need one right now.) I realize that I’m being hard on these guys but hell, this is their shining moment, or rather their defining moment. Actually we all need to step up.

Flood in Manila

Apathy is one nasty word. One that we are mostly guilty off. Although there is something inertly asking us to urge and move, for fear of retribution or rather for fear of the unknown we stay in place and do nothing, or even worse, turn a blind eye and leave. The tropical typhoon may have passed, but we are not out of the woods yet. The worse is yet to come. Remember the people who will step up. Remember the kind of leaders we elect. We need better people. We deserve better people.

Waist Deep Water

Pasig. Ortigas Extension (REUTERS/Erik de Castro (PHILIPPINES ENVIRONMENT DISASTER) Pic. Reuters)

All photos taken from the internet and various sources (Erik De Castro for the Pictures)

Let’s put it in the simplest way possible, we weren’t prepared. Too comfortable in our little Metropolitan safehouse that we didn’t think anything of it. The typhoon lived up to its named (Ondoy) which means “little boy”. It wasn’t even a super typhoon and yet so much destruction, so many lives disrupted, we can’t help but blame ourselves.
Who are we to blame?

There has been a link circulating around the web that GMA (yes our president) basically squandered the emergency fund amounting to Php 800 Million. (In a nutshell, she went over budget with her trips so thinking we won’t miss it, or won’t be using it anytime soon used the emergency fund.) But should we really blame her? After all, we ELECTED her in 2004. People have been praying for mercy. As the old addage goes, “Nasa Diyos ang Awa nasa tao ang gawa” (God has the mercy but it’s still up to man to do something) . We will get our chance.

Another typhoon is said to be heading our in 3 days. Are we going to be ready this time?

On lighter side, it is awesome to see Filipinos actually doing something for fellow Filipinos. The uncountable facebook messages relaying emergency numbers. People willing to skip work to help out. Strangers opening up their houses sto those stranded by the flood. The quick mobilization of local rescue groups as well as influential institutions helping out quickly and mobilizing man-power to help alleviate the situation. There is a strong sense of volunteerism now coursing through the veins of most Filipinos. (Probably the Cory magic still?) Go out there and do your part. Send clothes, blankets, ready-to-eat food, or even just help out in packing the already donated goods. Now is the time to relish what it is to be part of the lucky few. To really know that meaning of MAGIS as well as Cura-personalis. It took a small boy to bring Manila to its knees, yes. But it was that same boy that united the Filipinos today. As a facebook blogger said, Daghang Salamat Ondoy. (Thank you Ondoy) I remember driving home and seeing a quote on the back of a jeep which really hit me. None of the “basta driver sweet lover”, or “sexy libre sakay” (driver’s are sweet lovers, sexy girls ride for free). The quote read:

“From our ashes will rise the monument of our success. “

Indeed. Our time is now.

Cars after the waters subside