Woke up early today, 4 October 2009 to see what happened after continuous rains and heavy winds battering the area of Aparri, Cagayan after spending a night at the Ryan Hotel.
D-Day + 1
6:38 AM
Just a few meters from the hotel where we are staying.
Was surprised to see people up this early clearing their houses of fallen trees and debris brought about by Typhoon Pepeng the day before.
Went straight to the breakwater and was happy to see the sun peeking through rain clouds.
6:42 AM
It was still raining but winds have been stable already.
Next stop was the Aparri Municipal Gym where residents staying near the breakwater sought help and shelter during the night before.
7:03 AM
7:12 AM
Residents line up to receive relief goods prepared by the local government of Aparri.
7:16 AM
Children staying inside the gym.
7:19 AM
How resourceful can you get? Boys use card boards found inside the Aparri Municipal Gym to clean the floor.
I was surprised how prepared the local government was after seeing them distribute goods very early in the morning. Residents were also disciplined enough that they kept the gym clean even for just staying for a night. After they saw that the weather is starting to subside, many went back to their houses to go back to their normal life.
Since it was a Sunday, I decided to visit the church and saw that many attended the mass.
7:38 AM
Residents of Aparri in Cagayan wear their Sunday’s best to attend a mass a day after Typhoon Pepeng stormed the area.
After surveying the town, I went out to see nearby towns particularly those towards Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
Most of the roads are cleared already of debris. It is amazing how fast the residents can clean their own area. While mostly went ok during the typhoon, there are also parts which became flooded due to heavy rains. Flooded areas are mostly agricultural lands but there are also residential ones.
9:27 AM
A house along Baranggay Cullit, in Camalaniugan, Cagayan.
I texted a friend about what I saw today. I said, “It amazes me how people accept what God gives to them and just move on. Today I woke up with people cleaning their houses, attending the mass with their Sunday’s best. I pause to think and realize how sophisticated people from the metro consider this typhoon a big and major problem while people residing in these provinces seem to just go on with their lives uneventful yet fulfilled and satisfied.”
9:33 AM
SITTING PRETTY. A dog feels safe as it sits on the rooftop while the owner stays below at M. Antiporda Hiway in the town of Buguey, Cagayan.
Even the snails had to evacuate and place themselves to higher grounds! 
As a photojournalist I was fine with my photos. I don’t have a “Pullitzer” photo but still I was glad that Typhoon Pepeng didn’t do much damage as to personal properties and lives. Most of the damaged areas are agricultural lands but we can all save for that. The experience in covering this typhoon made me very much aware of how things can be simple yet happy and fulfilled. Things can be beautiful indeed…
Residents of Baranggay Cullit in the town of Camalaniugan, Cagayan use a boat to survey their farmland where rice stalks were used to be seen but is now under water
My friend replied to my previous text.
“Sa probinsya kasi mas nakatapak sa lupa ang mga tao. In every sense of the word. They depend on the earth, that’s why they know that the world isn’t about them Their life has always been a life of waiting for what the world feels like giving them. harvests and calamities, bounty and loss… Different faces of the same coin. Tayo lang naman sa Maynila ang nagfi-feeling na tayo ang nagpapatakbo ng mundo eh “
Makes sense… makes a lot of sense!
This was around the time when my camera started to moist. I decided to give the camera a break as we have only one issued camera and if this conks out on me then it’s game over.
