Our Typhoon Glenda Experience

I’ve been checking the weather forecast since Sunday because of the impending typhoon Glenda. I’ve been hearing stories na parang Yolanda or Milenyo daw sa lakas so I was checking for the typhoon signal. I felt that I was prepared for the typhoon because we’re done with our groceries last Saturday, bought our weekly menu in the wet market last Sunday, and still went to the grocery last Monday sa mga kulang pa. While waiting for the class suspension announcement, I was also preparing for my son’s assignment like 1x1 picture and smart casual attire for his graduation portrait. 

No classes last Tuesday because Laguna was under Signal 1. The weather was still fine though there were occasional rain showers. During our dinner, my husband said, nakakatakot sa labas sobrang tahimik. Which is true, wala hangin and wala malakas na ulan. I checked for class suspensions again, no classes again because we’re under Signal 2. 

After dinner, we do our usual routine without knowing that after a few hours, typhoon Glenda will strongly hit CALABARZON. At 1AM , I was awakened by the howling wind outside and I was so scared that I couldn’t sleep anymore. No more electricity around 2AM. I filled our water buckets with water para may ipon kami kahit konti. It’s been a long time since I’ve experienced this kind of wind so I was thinking na hindi ito Signal 2. 

Before 6AM, I decided to prepare for our breakfast and no more water supply. We only have 3 buckets of water plus 3 bottles (5 gallons) of mineral water to survive. No telephone lines and internet and our phone wasn’t fully charged except for the iPad (prepared ang anak ko at nagcharged). We used one cellphone of my husband to check for news on FM radio. Thank God for the pocket wifi so we could check the news online. We found out na Signal 3 na nga kami and the eye of the storm was in Cavite. 

I was praying hard for God’s protection and I was glad when the wind calmed around 10AM. I was thankful that our house was fine, and our tree and plants were ok, though halos maubos na ang dahon. Some of our neighbors were affected, natanggalan ng bubong, nasira gate and naputol puno. At 4PM we decided to go out. We went to the gas station para magpagas and bought some snacks at McDonalds.

Seeing the aftermath, I remembered my experienced last July 2011 "Typhoon Juaning", no electricity, water and internet and my husband was in Shanghai so ang hirap. I was thankful na kasama ko siya ngayon. I felt na matataglan pa ang black out sa dami ng natumba na puno so I cooked everything inside our freezer, drank the opened fresh milk, ate the yogurt etc. And that time parang nagsisisi ako na naggrocery ako, imagine I need to cook 1kl of hotdog, 1kl of chicken, 1/2 kl of tapa, 1/2 porkchop, 1/2 liempo, pack of bacon and sausage. I just cooked chicken adobo and fried everything. #buffetbreakfast.

Anyway, I was glad that after 44 hours we now have electricity, water, phone lines, and the internet. Life is back to normal now. I just realized that no matter how I plan or prepare, I’m still not in control. Now I’m planning to buy a water drum for future use, more batteries for the flashlight, rechargeable radio/light, powerbank, and more candles. I will stock more paper plates and disposable spoon, fork, and cups. Yan ginamit namin para wala hugasin. Ito na lang natira sa candles namin buti na lang nagkakuryente na. 

Just to make me feel good, iniisip ko na lang na wala ito sa mga Yolanda survivors. At least kahit walang electricity, water, landline and internet we’re staying in our house. How about you?