Hello hivers. It's been awhile since I last posted because our wifi broke down and it is only this day that it is fixed. But today, I am going to talk about the impact of the two consecutive typhoons we are currently experiencing.
SOURCE and edited through Canva
The past few weeks have been heavy for the country of the Philippines. Two strong typhoons (Tino and Uwan) passed through the Philippines, one after another, leaving behind not only damaged homes but also the quiet grief that follows when lives are lost and routines are broken.
As a father, I have seen many storms in my lifetime. Each one feels different, but the pain they bring is familiar.
When Typhoon Tino hit, most of us were still hoping it would weaken before making landfall. Instead, it came roaring across the Visayas, tearing through Cebu, Leyte, and Negros Occidental. Entire neighborhoods were flooded overnight. In some areas, power was gone for days or weeks (including ours), and families had to flee with only what they could carry.
Reports said hundreds lost their lives and many more went missing. In Cebu, the winds were strong enough to peel off roofs and send trees crashing onto the roads. It was heartbreaking to see people trying to rebuild while rain was still falling. In my neighborhood as well, many mango trees have fallen hitting the house of my neighbors.
And that’s what struck me most. Even in loss, Filipinos have that stubborn hope.
And before communities could even recover, Typhoon Uwan arrived (only a few days after). This one made landfall in Aurora province, up north, with winds strong enough to bend steel posts and uproot trees like twigs.
Uwan was fiercer, larger, and came at night. It flooded roads, cut power lines, and isolated towns in Camarines Norte. Reports said millions of people were affected and for those who had just survived Tino, this second hit felt almost cruel.
People in Cebu and many parts of the Philippines faced heavy rains and rising waters. The same story repeated... evacuation centers filled up, families huddled together, praying the roofs above them would hold.
I can’t help but think: the country is strong, but it’s tired. Every year, we brace ourselves for storms, and yet we never truly get used to them. Still, there’s something about how people come together.
We may lose a lot, but we never lose the will to stand up again with God's guidance. Maybe that’s what makes us who we are.
If there’s one thing these storms remind me, it’s how small we are next to the forces of nature and yet, how strong we become when we care for one another.
I told myself, “We can rebuild houses, but not lives.” So while the walls dry and the lights return, let’s not forget those still in the dark, especially those who lost family, livelihood, and peace of mind.
Let’s pray for them, help if we can, and stay grateful if we were spared.
The storms will pass, as they always do. But may our compassion remain long after the clouds are gone.
Thank you and keep safe everyone.