Personal Sa Akin Ang Bagyo (I Take Typhoons Personally)

This is an image of typhoon tracks from 1980 to 2005 or a period of 25 years (photo from wikimedia). NOTE: Please click on the image to view large format (available only for 30 days and counting...). If you are familiar with the southeast asian geography, you probably know that right in the densest part of the storm tracks is where the Philippine archipelago is (indistinguishable and literally obliterated from view due to the blue lines that mark the tracts of possibly hundreds of typhoons during the two and a half decade time-frame). And if you're familiar as well with Philippine geography, you'll probably know that right smack in the middle of that storm corridor is the Bicol Region and as such, it is probably the most typhoon-battered/ravaged region in the entire Philippine archipelago. So to me, a Bicolano, personal sa akin ang bagyo. But I don't mean it in a negative way. It's just that typhoons have been a part of many of the events and moments in my life, both happy and sad.

Some people believe that the eastern part of the Visayas region where Samar is located is the most typhoon-prone area in the Philippines. That is true but only to the extent that it is usually the area where the pacific-born typhoons initially make an entry to the archipelago. And also because, Samar is where the severe-weather monitoring facilities are located (I'm sure you've read/heard about Boronggan, Samar being cited in many storm warnings and bulletins).

While it is a fact of Philippine life that typhoons are part of our atmospheric and geologic legacy, the above-image is nevertheless amazing. Amazing in that it graphically depicts how a people of about 90 million (except for some who are inhabiting the southern portion of Mindanao) is really at the mercy of one of earth's deadliest natural phenomena. And the tragic aftermath of the most recent typhoon, Typhoon Frank (international codename Feng Shen), has once again given us a grim reminder of that fact.

Grim as it is, though, typhoons remind me of some episodes in the past that have made an impact in my personal life. For instance, typhoons somehow always remind me of a life lived along a riverside. During one of typhoons in the early sixties, the river which was about twenty meters from our house, broke the banks and flooded the ground floor of our house. The waters came in probably early in the morning as I woke up with the water almost lapping the edge of my bamboo bed and I actually saw fish swimming in the water alongside my rubber slippers, which was then floating along with some other things such as an arinola (chamber pot).

I have also always associated canned goods, especially canned sardines, with typhoons. I remember that every time there was a typhoon, our meals at home will invariably be sardines. I found out later that this was because fresh fish was not available in the market or the market itself (also located along the banks of the river) was inaccessible due to floods.

A typhoon may have also been partly responsible for or may have triggered my father's ailment which eventually caused his early departure to the next life. In October 1970, Typhoon Sening wreaked havoc in Bicol. While it's main path was through the eastern part of the Bicol peninsula (with Catanduanes taking a direct hit), it dumped a large amount of rain in Camarines Sur that it also caused massive flooding. Our second house, which was then located some two kilometers north of Naga City was also flooded. I was then in Manila on my first year of university schooling. My father and mother were the only ones in the house. According to my mother, my father had to single-handedly bring up all our household appliances, including a 50-kilogram sack of rice, to an elevated portion of the house. When my father was hospitalized a month later due to bleeding stomach ulcer, my mother theorized that it must have been aggravated by the strenuous activity he undertook to prevent flood waters from ruining our household properties during Typhoon Sening. He died in November 1970 as the suction equipment which was supposed to remedy his internal bleeding, failed to do its job. Hemorrhage did him in. According to official records, Typhoon Sening left 768 dead and P1.89 billion in damages. My father could well be the 769th and the most priceless loss to me and my family.

I also can't recall how many times, and how much it cost us, to have some part of our house (usually the roof), repaired due to typhoons. But I remember it was always a great concern for my parents and certainly a great burden to their very limited income as government employees. So yes, typhoons are very personal to me.

And did I mention that one of the most destructive typhoons ever to visit the country, particularly the Bicol region, was one called Typhoon Trix*? In 1952, this typhoon made landfall October 16 and exited Philippine territory seven days later (October 23), leaving in its wake some 995 dead. Overland, top wind speed was recorded at 215 kms/hour in Legaspi City. According to my mother, the wind was so strong that even a coconut shell clamped and partly buried in the soil was blown away.

Oh by the way, at noon time of October 19, the eye of the typhoon passed over Camarines Sur, creating a surreal peace and quite amidst the destruction. The grey sky turned blue for a while. It's as if the heavens smiled and the gods paused to welcome the birth of a baby boy who was to be named Concepto.

You bet it is personal!

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* http://www.typhoon2000.ph/stats/WorstPhilippineTyphoons.htm