SENDONG or rather the handling of Sendong, prior, during and after it, was the political game changer in Cagayan de Oro. Take out the equation of maybe about 40 percent of our voters, voting according to the money they receive from candidates and those voting according to kinship and favors, then former mayor Emano and his team never saw it coming.
Well-entrenched in patronage and traditional politics for decades, the age-old feudalistic formula kept the Emano dynasty in power and seemed like it would last forever.
It is, however, acknowledged that ex-Mayor Emano has a truly charismatic and enigmatic personality and possessed a charming manner of speaking in both the vernacular and English. Long lines formed at the mayor’s office as the largesse of power came directly from his hands. He was strict to the extent that no one dared to be absent or late during the Monday flag-raising ceremony at City Hall. He demanded full loyalty to everyone and was not known to appreciate suggestions. Besides, “Dongkoy” as he was fondly called was a friend to most of the name-droppables of local society. There was no reason to rock the boat. Until the rampaging waters of Sendong washed away every bit of invincibility of ex-mayor Dongkoy, and earned him the infamous nickname “Sendongkoy.”
It was a hellish night last December 16, with no power and frantic calls and texts from friends asking for assistance. But with our own home knee-deep in flood water, we were stuck at home, until the break of day, and we immediately set out to secure whatever was available at a grocery downtown for some relief to those affected. Passing the Marcos Bridge made my jaw drop. The so-called Islas, islands formed by accretion populated by informal settlers was now washed out with not a home, vegetation nor tree standing. I shuddered at the thought of people snatched by the flood out to Macajalar Bay in the dead of night.
Regaining my senses, I called my Red Cross friend again to ask if there was already a dispatch made to the Air Force and Navy for search and rescue operations as I described what I just saw and feared.
The internet is both a boon and a blessing. One can source legitimate and total lies from cyberspace. December 16, 2011, as I arrived at our travel agency early in the morning, I got a call from a friend from the Red Cross, who was then in Negros. He asked how we were, with the typhoon signal number 2 hoisted over Cagayan de Oro. I did not believe him but a check with the website of Pagasa confirmed his information. Wow, I said, as this would be the first time in my stay in CDO that we had a storm signal coming.
We went about our normal business transactions that day and my friend called again early in the afternoon to ask again how we were. It was then that I noticed the sound from the abnormally large drops of rain and wind outside. I decided to send our employees home and by about 5 p.m., I left the office and headed for home.
Passing by Divisoria Plaza, I saw the usual stall owners of the “Night Cafe” vainly trying to keep their tents upright with the strong wind.
Reaching home, I opened Facebook and posted online “Why is the City not suspending the Night Cafe with the Storm Signal number 2?” An hour or so after, the lights went out.
Sendong has arrived.