Back to basic

It’s another day, and for hundreds of thousands, no power.

36-year-old Eva Aquino of Tagbilaran City remembers the days when everyone would struggle to prepare food and clean the house with a sporadic power supply.  

“Electricity was a luxury then,” says Eva, a pensioner.

There were times when her family had to use “lamparilya,” a small night lamp, because of frequent brownouts.

More than 15 years later, she faces the same tribulations. “It’s the same thing. Naanad nami. It’s going back to basic.”

 Residents fetch water in artesian well...

Preparing meals for her high school daughter is a tough job without electricity. Cleaning the house is another ordeal.

“Foods should be consumed because there’s no refrigerator,” says Aquino.

As result of the massive brownouts, water supplies were affected because water is distributed through electric pumps.

Residents in Booy district, Tagbilaran City have to go to deep and artesian wells to fetch water.  32-year-old Domar Quibol would wake up at 4 a.m. to go to the communal artesian well for their family’s share of water. Cues were long and access to clean and safe water was low. Others go to Caingget Beach’s “tubod” to wash their clothes, bath and fetch water for home use.

...and some go to Caingget Beach to bath and fetch water.

Resorts in Panglao have diesel-powered generators for use during scheduled outages or brownouts, but it’s becoming expensive to run now that we are experiencing power and water shortages in the province after Yolanda hit the country.

Because other residents could not afford to buy generators, they make use of used oil and salt to make a lamp.  

We have been in the dark since Yolanda hit our place. When will power begin to flicker?

More than18,000 customers have had no power in Tagbilaran City, according to the Bohol Light Company, Inc (BLCI).

“Hopefully, we are doing our efforts to restore the power maybe earlier for that matter. We are hoping for the best before December 24 or earlier,” says May Hope “Dice” Arcenal, public relations officer of BLCI.

May Hope Arcenal is living up to her name --- she is giving accurate and up-to-date information about our electricity (most of the time glad tidings of great joy not only to the thousands, yes, count’em!, BLCI valued consumers but also to the whole community listening to her on radio.)

BLCI (like Boheco 1 and 2) is only a power distributor so the company is at the mercy of the supplier.

Hospitals and water suppliers are given priority in the power rationing.

“All we can do is to bear with these crises we are facing now. We have plenty to be thankful for what we have because only the power is out. We are still fortunate enough we don’t experience what the Leyte people have experienced,” says the unassuming, low-key and down-to-earth Arcenal. “Just be patient as of this moment. We need all your understanding.”

May Hope "Dice" Arcenal

Bb. Pilipinas World-2006 and Bangon Visayas crusader Anna Maris Igpit posted on Facebook: “Boholanos, I know we have been experiencing power and water shortage in our province. It's becoming a big hassle for us because we are not used to it. But I think we have to be reminded that our problem is nothing compared to the sufferings of those in Leyte, Samar, Capiz, Iloilo, Cebu, Palawan and other places. They have nothing to eat, no roof, no houses, no water, no livelihood, basically NOTHING. So let us stop complaining and ranting because we are still blessed. I would also like to appeal that our government declare Bohol a SPUG (Small Power Utilities Group) area so that NPC can provide electricity or gen sets at affordable rates. We can't afford to allow this power shortage to affect our economy.”

While we are at it, UB’s Registrar Leah Tirol-Magno shares these very smart and practical tips:

We have been in an "American living" mode for so long now, and with the recent development that Tagbilaran City and the whole province of Bohol will be on blackout mode for an undetermined period, let me share some practical tips, as we go along with our daily lives:

1. In "ironing" clothes, use a damp face towel, rub it on crumpled or creased clothes. Hang the clothes to dry. Now it's ready to wear like it's freshly ironed.

2. We use paper plates, plastic spoons, forks and cups so we don't need to wash dishes. Save on water and same on time. Sorry for the additional garbage amount.

3. Guys, you may pee in the garden, so you need not use water to flush the toilet.

Note: In the old Booy neighborhood, we walked kilometers to fetch water bringing our containers and galloons. Life was very simple then; there was no electricity. Electricity and water came in 1980s...but we survived.

***

 Lobocanon Ana Liza Abao, a Masscom student at Southwestern University, shares her story on Christmas, Pinoy style, in her “Let’s Bring It On”:

On one rainy morning when Zoraida tried to have her name be remembered, I was riding in one of Cebu City’s passenger jeepney when out of nowhere, three youngsters hopped in with alarming looks. In a minute or two, they started their showdown that had awakened my senses to comprehend what they really want. Placing his right hand above his chest that seems like a ‘Panatang Makabayan’ gesture, one of them made an introduction in Cebuano dialect and said, “Ma’am, Sir ayaw kamo kabalaka. Dili kami daotang taw niining buntaga. Buot lamang kami mopaambit sa among musika tungod kay lagi Pasko na. Wagtanga ang problema kay mipalayo na si Yolanda. Break it down, oh yeah!”

Mighty goodness, it wasn’t a hold-up and that was a relief. To continue, the three of them entertained us with their originally composed Christmas carols in humorous lyrics. The elderly woman seated next to me responded with a grin and might have been delighted by the beat box and sound effects like Showtime’s Jam Bunganga contestants as she handed to them a fifty-peso bill instead of the reminder ‘Barya lang po sa umaga.’

Oh yeah, it’s almost Christmas. In the aftermath of catastrophic disasters which reminded us that we have not been good stewards of nature and now we reap the harvest of our indifference and wrongdoing, I wonder how many of us are still eager towards Christmas countdown.

With the way things are, how are we going to celebrate our Christmases like the way we used to- our Boholano homes adorned with colorful decorations along with Christmas delights. And to complete, those house-to-house caroling ended with the words ‘Ang babait ninjo, tingkyu!’

Christmas may never be the same from the previous years but the Lord- the Emmanuelle is still the same God-who-is-with-us and His presence in our lives light the way for all whose lives we’ve touched.

 Yes it is. For all whose lives we’ve touched. Needless to say, our ‘bayanihan’ spirit in the midst of the threat of calamities has inspired others to share what they have. Those nameless millions who have donated cash and goods from the different parts of the globe and the untiring time, effort and willingness of others to repack those relief goods have kept our resilience even in turbulent times.

Just as it is more fun in the Philippines, truly we can easily find ways to laugh or smile after the unimaginable quake that hit our beloved Bohol and Yolanda’s hellish wrath in the region.

I remembered how my calm and refine 87 year old aunt laughed upon reading the quake-licious menu with a twist offered by one of Loboc’s floating resto (that is  Loboc Riverwatch owned by Tessie and Libby Sumampong- LPU) such as linog-gaw and manganitude with 7.2 bagoong. In addition, they also have seafood kurog-kurog with suman dagan-dagan and bingkang naliki. What an earth shocking offering.

When Yolanda struck unmercifully after Napoles exposed her favorite piece of “I invoke my right” matched with “I don’t know”, I knew of someone who devoted her time, effort and confidence to take ‘selfie’ pics having the caimito tree with its leaves swinging in the strong wind and rain as her background. People of this age.

Oh yes, Napoles. Remembering the pork barrel queen makes me create a wild  imagination that it would be better for her to be thrown into the sea as a sacrificial offering to prevent Yolanda from coming. Like the reluctant prophet Jonah in the days of old, Napoles can be swallowed by a big whale and be vomited into an island where she can think things right.

Since electricity had been cut off for two days in the vicinity where my Bol-anon co-boarders and I are staying, I made use of my time by reading Bob Ong’s book entitled ‘Stainless Longganisa’ which was bought by my sister right after we visited our barrio cemetery in Loboc. There is no connection with the book and the cemetery but at least I had an early Christmas present during All Souls’ Day. And Bob Ong must be a lover of gags when he wrote “Iniaalay sa mga punong ginawang papel para maging libro” instead of dedicating his book to his family and loved ones.

As to when will be electricity be ever restored to normalcy is still uncertain. A text message from a friend expressed her dismay as she missed to watch the fairytale wedding of the year. She was referring to Ser Chief and Maya’s matrimonial vows. And that wedding was trending on twitter #BCWMHthefairytaleweddingoftheyear. Someone added, “kilig much.”

Heck, that wedding day was on the same date when that 7.2 trembling quake hit Bohol.

On the other hand, as there is always the negative side, it is disgusting how Satan and all his minions tried to disunite us even in social media portals wherein some individuals belonging to a sect have raged war against Catholics claiming that they are the only ones who will be saved and that Catholics must be doomed and perished from the earth.  

Instead of claiming for salvation exclusively or condemning others because of religion, it would be better for us to be reminded the story of the woman caught in adultery where Jesus said to them, “Whichever of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.”

Each of us is a mixture of good and evil but there is always God’s spark in us. Let us then use this spark even in our own little way and become bearers of charity and goodness to others.

To all of us who are experiencing these dark moments much more than Anderson Cooper had seen in reality, now is the time for us to assert each other that we are one as a grateful nation- a Christian country who knows how to smile even if the world doesn’t smiles back.

In unison, let’s bring it on!

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

Haiyan aftermath

In Leyte, Philippimes

After supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit the Visayas, the following day I was in Tacloban City.

I was among the first journalists to see the catastrophe in Leyte on Saturday.

The place was in massive destruction.

Many houses were completely devastated.

Every tree was flattened, electricity post was snapped in half.

I saw dead bodies in the towns of Tanaoan, Tolosa and Palo and in Tacloban City. Many of the dead whose bodies line the streets or float in flooded areas are children.

There's no clean water, no electricity and very little food. Many people have not eaten for many days because there were no relief goods from the government. And they are still very hungry that they looted many things from malls, business establishments and houses.

People from neighboring towns (MacArthur, Dulag, Tolosa, Tanaoan, Palo) are going to Tacloban City to look for food and water.

In barangay 37 where the Tacloban Fish Port was located, I chanced to see businessman Engr. Wilhelm Go of Wilhelm Construction who was busy manning and clearing the fish port area. I learned that he constructed the fish port, the only building which remains after Yolanda, with no cracks and damages.

Asked why his fish port was strong to fight the horrific water surges, he said, "I don't compromise the quality of my work. No substandard!"

Now, the fish port houses more than 3,000 evacuees from other barangays.

When I was interviewed by CNN International how can  I described the situation in Leyte, I blatantly told them, "The situation is grim." (See CNN IReport here)

Last night, I received a text message from Nekolo Gonzales of Trinidad, Bohol (and I thought worth sharing): "At the end of the day, Filipinos will just shake off the dirt from their clothes, go about their  business and smile. They do not complain much and they will bear as long as they can. Maybe this is why they were given the 'privilege' of bearing  the burden of the strongest typhoon ever recorded.  The indomitable human spirit  at its finest."

Indeed, very true!

Charice wants to live in Bohol! Inabanga's odd case of tourism

• Inabanga’s odd case of tourism

• Charice wants to live in Bohol!

Wake-uppers:

Scene: The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) recommends immediate relocation and evacuation of residents with houses near the newly developed sinkhole in Purok 7, Barangay Poblacion 1, Tagbilaran City. The landslide susceptibility rating is very high. Barangay Captain Arlene Karaan conducted an emergency general assembly to inform the residents of the findings of MGB. The sinkhole in Poblacion 1 is one of the 50 sinkholes in Tagbilaran City which emerged after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol last Oct. 15.

Madonna and Child appears in Calape, Bohol Photo by Leo Udtohan

Scene: An image of the “Madonna and Child” reportedly appeared on the floor of the multi-purpose hall at Calape Central Elementary School in barangay Sta. Cruz in Calape town. The multi-purpose hall is used as an evacuation center. People from neighboring towns have started to flock to the school to get a glimpse and pray before the image. Rev. Fr. Aurelio Luzon, Jr., parish priest of St. Vincent Ferrer, clarified that it will take a while before they can verify if the image is indeed an apparition. “People visit the place because of curiosity,” said Fr. Luzon. “Let's keep praying. There's nothing wrong with the floor or the apparition, what matter is our faith."

Scene: LGU Loboc banned Loboc Riverwatch from taking off  and barred guests from riding the floating resto of Tessie Labunog-Sumampong last Oct. 25. “Kita mo naguba among docking port so duha lang nag-operate, so si Miss Tessie nakahibaw na siya nga karun nga paagi turno-turno pa. Wala man siya mo-coordinate sa LGU. So ako siya giingnan nga it’s an order nga dili ka makaoperate ogma para walay gubot unya imong mga bisita dili mauwawan,”  Loboc Mayor Helen Alaba told reporters. However, Tessie denied that she received a suspension order from the Mayor. “Walay order. Wala mi kadawat order or advice, wala man. As usual lang among operation pero nananghid gihapun mi.”  The mayor’s brother, ex-Mayor Leon Calipusan, was there at the Complex to drive away tourists. One tourist Rachel Acedo complained saying, “This is our choice, you can’t dictate the guests where we want to eat ...ginamit ang issue ng earthquake na kesyo nasira ang docking area...dapat take turns. Why allowed us to get inside the boat and we have our lunch and we will wait for our turn to cruise?”

Scene: Bangon Bohol posted on Facebook that a network of local artists, musicians, photographers/videographers, writers, is currently doing a video documentary and a music album and a new Awit sa Bohol music video. Bb. Pilipinas 2006 Anna Maris Igpit also shared that their group “SugBohol” is planning an all-star "Balik sa Bohol" music video to promote Bohol tourism.

***

Down-trodden by the tragedy, singing sensation Charice Pempengco will hold a benefit concert for the earthquake victims and survivors in Bohol. Dubbed as "One Voice," the said event will be held on November 5 (Tuesday) at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila.

Charice and her Bohol connection: Her “One Voice” benefit concert for Bohol quake victims is on Nov. 5.  Courtesy: Charice

When asked why she considers Bohol as the beneficiary, Charice told reporters in a presscon last Tuesday that she had developed a connection with the place.

Charice and her girlfriend Alyssa Quijano visited Bohol one week before the earthquake for their first anniversary.

“First time ko po sa Bohol nu’n. Three days po kami ro’n and then, naging espesyal siya sa akin kasi pinaka-touched talaga ako sa mga tao.” Charice told reporters.

She said unlike other places, Boholanos never judged her gender preference and accepted her with open arms.

“Kasi, sorry to say, pero alam naman natin na may mga tao, like sa Manila, na medyo tagilid ang mga ugali. Pero doon, sobrang totoo sila, alam n’yo po ’yun? Sobrang friendly and marespeto. Grabe po talaga. First night ko pa lang, nagustuhan ko na talaga sila. Na-touch ako the way they treated me. Hindi ko sila kakilala pero sobrang parang close ko na agad sila,” added Charice.

“Doon ko po na-realize na gusto kong tumira sa Bohol, maski na nagkaroon ng earthquake, e, mauudlot ang plano ko. Kaya ko po gagawin ang concert na ito kasi gusto ko pong makatulong para mapabilis ‘yung pag-recovery nila,” said Charice.

Charice said that she wanted to live in Bohol than to settle down in the United States.

***

Inabanga has been garnering major media mileage as the home of the “faultline.” It was Gerwin Yudelmo, a youth leader of Inabanga, who informed me about the five kilometer ground rupture in barangay Anonang.

The surface rupture (faultline) which appeared after the killer quake in barangay Anonang, Inabanga town invites tourists to explore nature.  Courtesy: Gerwin Yudelmo

“It’s now a tourist attraction,” said Gerwin. “From a disaster to a blessing!”

Last Wednesday, Liza Macalandag, Jocelyn Pilayre, and yours truly, decided to visit the place after we visited barangay Maitum, Catigbian town for a stress debriefing

The entry point to Anonang is Bogtong Market. Along the way, we delved into the tastes of the place as we experienced Anonang with its breathtaking rolling hills and foliage.

“The place is enchanting,” gushed Jocelyn, who like us, visited the place for the first time.

After the killer quake, there are new discoveries in Bohol. Watch for it!

***

Here’s “Is There Still A Way Out?” from Ana Liza Abao of Loboc who is sharing VRS readers her thoughts on the quake which hit Bohol and Someone who’s mighty up there. Here it is:

A week after the 7.2 trembling earthquake hit Bohol, I found myself alone in a room of my aunt’s home in Burgos St. Tagbilaran City trying to exercise total silence and contemplation, bringing my head down to my knees as I used to, hoping that it can prevent me from any distraction. I started to reflect why these have had to happen. Bohol – the heart of the islands is now bleeding and even the deafening silence of the hills from town to town cried out to the wilderness. For a moment, Boholano senses have refused to believe that it had happened in just a click.

Yes it was. October 15 had been a day to remember, an unimaginable disaster ever realized by every Boholano and other neighboring inhabitants in the region as well. Each has his or her own story to tell.

As I wanted to look back across that terrifying day, I was awakened at almost 8:00 in the morning trying to be obedient to the call of nature but decided to roll back in bed as it was the first week of semestral break in one of the universities in Cebu City.

My co-boarders most of whom are Bol-anons were still in bed trying to enjoy the two week vacation. Putting my head set on, as my way of making myself back to sleep and off to wonderland, I closed my two round eyes and started to listen to the song “Ikaw ang among Gabayan” by Sheryn Regis when in an instant my bed shook and my senses told me that it’s an earthquake. I didn’t move at once in the hope that it will eventually stop.

Alas, to my disbelief it continued to shake like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour and I could hear the audible running steps from my co-boarders and joining them, we run as fast as we could outside from the three-storey building we rented in. While running, I wondered why it lasted for several seconds and my feeble mind told me that woe to us as it was God’s wrath. Mighty goodness, God wanted His presence felt at that moment.

As my fourth time to experience an earthquake, the mental prayer taught by my late mother who passed away 2 months ago on the same date had been my instant refuge and uttering the words “Yes Lord You Exist”, it halted for a moment. Only did I realize that I went out barefooted.

My sister who lives in Inabanga with her family called me at once and to my surprise that tremor hit Bohol and Cebu at the same time.

My co-boarders who are residents of Loon, Carmen and Batuan were also busy with their phones trying to connect with their beloved families. And the rest were followed by various destructions of homes and heritage churches including my home town’s St. Peter’s Parish Church in Loboc.

Two days after, my co-boarder and I went home to quake-torn Bohol and it was a heartbreaking scene before my very eyes. Bohol bleeds.

I went to my hometown Loboc and the church where I was baptized was no longer the same two weeks before the tremor occurred when I went there capturing different views and angles inside the beautiful and famous Loboc church hoping that I can use those photos for my photojournalism class.

 I supposed that I was the last Lobocanon who had different shots from its ceiling to the ground including the museum before that destructive quake happened and forever will it be saved in my file much more to my memory.

Had it not been on a non-working day, it would be a different story. Had it been on a Sunday, it would be Bohol’s most fatal day.

In an instant our lives are threatened that seems dark ahead but God in His supreme greatness still spared us from His mighty wrath. Just as God’s ways are beyond imagination and His reasons are not ours to complain, we have to face it in faith that we are indeed blessed in some way or another.

This passing life is a labyrinth of darkness and uncertainty and how many of us have ever asked if there is still a way out.

The deafening ‘bang-bang’ of guns in Zamboanga faction, the never-ending bloody and floody areas in Metro Manila, the pork barrel sequel, violence, name it, we all have it.

Rich and poor alike we can never escape from these human and natural disasters while we are still on this earthly journey.

Like a river that flows ever onward toward the sea truly it is certain that the current of daily life moves ever onward the Day of Judgment.

Knowing that most of us are all united in prayers before the living God, I unite myself to God’s holy angels in deep adoration before the throne of the Highest. May the praise that is sung in heaven resound in the heart of every Boholano particularly those who are deeply affected.

I came out of that prayer time knowing that God loved us so much amidst our human frailties. It was an hour of total silence. No asking. No intercessions. No habitual prayer. Absolutely nothing. Just silence.

Now that my ears are closer to my chest I can feel the shaking of the bed that surely confirms that another aftershock occurs. And there is no way out.

Truly, God wanted His Presence felt. Anytime. Anywhere. “Yes Lord, You Exist”!

               

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow

leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.