CREDIT TO CANVA FOR THE LAYOUT OF THE ABOVE IMAGE
Hello Hivers! It’s me again, doughnahhh back with another blog series. This time, I want to share with you all about some of my personal experiences during the strong earthquake that hit Northern Cebu. During the strong earthquake, I was in Cebu City. That time here in Cebu was strong we really felt it, and not knowing our hometown was also badly affected, we did some research after we slightly recovered from the strong earthquake and it was one of the most frightening moments we’ve ever faced.
I am planning to go home in the morning after the strong earthquake that occurred on last September 30 late in the evening, but unfortunately the bus was already very full I've waited almost 3 hours but the bus was really full. That’s why I am not able to go home at that time. I really wanted to go home but sadly that happened. Later in the evening, my boyfriend told me that I should evacuate to his sister’s boarding house because he was worried about me because I was also very afraid because I was alone in my own boarding house at that time because my sister who is my companion in my boarding house went home to northern Cebu to our house with his boyfriend early in the morning after the strong earthquake they ride only a motorcyle that's why she found it easy to go home that time and our boarding house was located on the second floor, also that's why I'm afraid and my boyfriend is afraid too and the aftershocks was still occurring at that time and I could really feel the building or even in the ground floor it still shaking. I was so scared that's why I immediately packed some little things and went to his sister’s boarding house for safety and that's really a good plan because I and his sister plan to go home together and we plan to take a bus in the bus terminal so that we can sit.
Early in the morning, we were getting ready before we headed to go home. We planned to buy groceries first since the stores there are usually closed. Before heading to the grocery store is we decided to stop by first at a 7/11 in Firth to withdraw some money so that we would have cash to pay and we could buy some goods and any other important things that we could use, but unfortunately, the machine there wasn’t working in 7/11 in IT Park, so we went to look for another place within IT Park with an ATM machine, and we saw another ATM machine nearby, but it also wasn’t processing any transactions. We tried a total of three ATMs, but still none of them are working in IT park so we decided to go to Colon, hoping that there's a machine that we can make withdraw. We are quite frustrated because we really needed the cash so that we could make purchases and after all so many machines that we tried, we finally saw a machine in colon that is working. We are very happy and finally we can withdraw and make purchases.
After we withdrew some money, we decided to make breakfast first before we headed to do some groceries. We chose to eat at Chowking Colon since it was one of a few restaurants that were already open at that time in the early morning I think it was 7 AM. The food is so very comforting after everything that’s been happening, that nervousness and panic. I think we deserve it after all. Plus that fast food that we eat was very accessible, just a short walk from the Colonnade store, where we planned to buy our groceries afterward. While waiting for our food, we talked about what we really needed to buy and we take note of it.
After we finished eating, we went straight to the grocery store so that we could choose the things we needed to buy, it took only 2 minutes from the fast food place where we eat. When we arrived at the store, it was so very crowded there were so many people shopping and buying groceries. Some were buying goods to help the people in Northern Cebu as I heard from others in the grocery store while others were buying groceries for their loved ones. Despite the crowd, we patiently picked everything we needed because our parents told us that the store in BOGO is usually closed that's why. After we were done choosing what we needed to buy we directly went to the counter to pay so that we could finally go home and visit our loved ones.
We took a taxi going to the north bus terminal, where we are going to take a bus going home since we have so many things to carry. We had bags that have our other essentials and a box that was full of groceries, and it would’ve been too hard for us to commute with all of it. The taxi ride made things a bit easy and we were also tired but also relieved after we’d finished everything we needed to buy. As we got closer to the terminal, I could really feel the excitement of finally heading home after a long day and so long of waiting to finally go home.
We arrived at the bus terminal around 9 or 10AM and we decided to take an air-conditioned bus going home so that the trip wouldn’t be too hot as we will still be traveling to northern Cebu at that time. We were really grateful for the decision we made that time because the traffic was so terrible that day, the heavy traffic started from Danao and went all the way to the north. Many people were on the road bringing some relief goods and supplies to northern Cebu, which it caused the traffic. Even though the ride took longer than what we expected, at least we are comfortable inside the air conditioned bus.
I finally arrived home and I think I am travelling it's around five hours from the city to our barangay, Ilihan Tabogon in the northern part of Cebu. When I got home to our home, I was so very sad and my heart was shettered into pieces to see that our house had already been destroyed in just a one blink because of the strong earthquake. The walls were down or should I say it collapsed. Despite of what happend we are still very grateful because all my family members were all safe despite of the strong earthquake and before our house collapsed thankfully they were out from inside of our house. The damage to the house couldn't be repaired, but the safety of my loved ones was what truly mattered.
That's all for now my dear Hivers and by the way I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all those who have been taking their time to read and engage with this blog of mine. Your support really means the world to me. Thank you all so so much and I very truly appreciate each and everyone. Thank you all for your feedback and also your continued interest I really appreciate it my dear hivers 🥺 Until next time guys stay safe everyoneee