By Dr. Betty Bagares-Poyogao
Pediacosset

IT WAS a rainy Saturday morning. I just woke up after a night’s duty. It had been raining since then. But it wasn’t the furious kind. I thought it was, until I received a call from my mom telling me that the areas where my relatives live were affected by flash floods and that the water level was knee-deep, some parts, waist-deep. I was shocked. I couldn’t imagine such an event would happen to my relatives. We wanted to see how they were doing but all roads were blocked due to the rising water level. All we could do was wait. Although they were brought to safety, we continued to pray that the situation would not worsen. I was worried with the children who had to walk through the flooded areas. They didn’t have to experience such traumatic event at such an early age.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

We went there the next day. The rain had stopped. The weather was gloomy though. There was mud everywhere. Some areas were filled with water still. People had to vacate their place of abode carrying with them their children and some household essentials. Such a fury the rain had brought to our city. Some people started to clean and air dried their clothes, bed foams, shoes that were damp. Fences were wrecked. Pails, water pots, slippers, chairs were found floating on a pool of mud. It would take days for the area to dry up. Eventually, life was quite normal again for my relatives. They described to me what really happened. They related to me that they hardly noticed the water rising on the other side of the fence and that the fence eventually, gave in. They had to run for their lives. I could not believe they had to go through with such ordeal. What’s important was that they made it and no one was hurt.

My heart goes to other families who were victims of the flash floods. We can do something to help even in kind. Government offices, private sectors, PPS NorthMin chapter rendered their services to the victims especially to the children. My office is open to all donations, cash or kind for the victims. You may send it to Maternity Hospital, room 204. God bless us all.