MANILA – Several Boto Patrollers took the time to go online not only to report on their “Ondoy” experience but also to expose the plight of their fellow flood-stricken Filipinos.

Jun Francisco of Brgy. San Lorenzo Ruiz Phase 1 San Juan, Taytay, Rizal sent his survivor’s tale through ireport@abs-cbn.com. He also took photos and videos. His account was posted on the Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo (BMPM) Multiply page.

Francisco and his family were able to evacuate their home in Taytay Saturday morning. Their house was located near the Pinagbuhatan Pasig Extension.

“Alam kong hindi kakayanin ng mga bata dun kasi po yun baha inabot na yun 1st floor at pantay na sa CR [comfort room],” he wrote.

He said that even if he knew his family would have to pass deep floodwaters, he let his children aged 1, 4 and 5 ride an ordinary rubber boat.

He related that he saw a lot of people who could not leave their homes anymore were in dire need of food, milk, water and medicine.

He added that those who were able to evacuate their homes were just as unfortunate as they had to deal with boatmen who overcharged transportation fees.

Opportunists

“Grabe yun mga nagsasamantala sa pasahero ang singil papuntang palengke ay P100,” he related.

“Kami nga nun alam kung may mas malalim kaming dadaan na baha hangang dibdib nagpasya na akong isakay pa yong mga bata sa isang mas malapad na gawang bangka na mag mula sa Greenwoods Phase 4 hanggang Mercedez Avenue, Pasig ay P400.”

Francisco lamented: “Pano po yun mga walang pera na papalabas o papuntang palengke para bumili ng pagkain nila? Sa presyo palang ng mga bangka or yun mga pedicab at pambili na ng pagkain nila ay mapupunta lang sa mga abusado.”

He related that they have been experiencing waist-deep floodwaters in three days. “Mahirap po talagang lumabas lalo na wala na silang padudumihan at yun tubig inumin dumudumi na at yun mga bata may mga sakit na.”

As of his Multiply posting, he said his barangay has not received any help from the municipality of Taytay, Rizal. He even sent text messages and made calls, to no avail.

Fire during the flood

While rescue operations were directed towards the flood victims on Saturday, Larry L. Go reported that there were fire victims in Quezon City who also needed help.

Go, in a report sent to ireport@abs-cbn.com, stated: “Despite the heavy rain that inundated and flooded Metro Manila, a big fire broke out in Quezon City (near Sto. Domingo Church) last Saturday night.”

He inferred that the residents may have used candles because of the blackout caused by heavy rains. The use of candles could have led to the blaze.

“The fire happened in a densely populated place that included the home of many informal settlers,” he wrote.

“With the roads very badly flooded, very few volunteer fire engines could respond to the fire and it continued to blaze for several hours into the night. The black smoke blackened the sky for several kilometers,” he added.

Go captured the “raging inferno that engulfed many houses” in his photos.

“The night sky was intermittently lighted up by what I surmise to be mini-explosions from exploding LPG-tanks which were visible to the naked eye despite the distance,” he recounted.

He then asked the readers to pray for the thousands of countrymen who were badly affected by the storm. “If you are in a position to send help and have yet to do so, please help in any way you can,” Go concluded.

Snapshots

Mc, meantime, posted some pictures on the BMPM Multiply page. They were taken from the areas of San Andres, Espiritu St., A. Francisco St., Arellano Ave. and Osmeña Highway.

“This was the 1st time [it] flooded after I moved to this place,” said Mc. “Grabe un talaga, hanggang bewang ung baha, ung ibang lugar hanggang dibdib.”

Mc noted that this was nothing compared to other affected areas in the country.

Provident Village in Marikina City was one of the badly-hit areas. Snapshots from Provident Village were posted by Lhove on the BMPM Multiply page.

Some of the pictures showed cars that were displaced and piled on top of one another.