Hello everyone! Thanks for checking us out here in Manila....
We have been experiencing heavy rains for almost a week now. Government officials here describe it as one of the worst weather calamity in recent years or even decades. Long, hard rain, almost non stop may be tolerable to some places in some parts of the world, but in a place like Manila, it could spell nightmare.
We have one of the worst planned urban structures in the world. With a population of more or less 120 million people, a big chunk would rather live and and be cramped in over populated cities within the metro since business and work opportunities are not well or equally distributed among other cities.
Overpopulation = clogged drainages, sewers, not to mention illegal logging in the nearby mountain ranges, etc. Rain water is virtually trapped within the city when situations like this occur.
As a tv journalist and a documentarist, I am part of a team who are out there in the flooded areas, covering this calamity. While filming horrific images of despair and hopelessness, we also decided to find the more positive vibe within and make a sense out of situations like these. Here are some pictures I would like to share to give you guys an idea on what we gathered so far. I posted them on Instagram as it happened by the way. Posting them here again.
Here I am, extreme right wearing a bandana, helping our assistant as he mounts a Go Pro all weather cam to a rescue boat.
We joined a team of rescuers patrolling a submerged village.
Our group spots a mother with her 2 year old boy, trapped on a roof, with very little or no food for almost 24 hours.
Rescue team in action!
Mother and 2 year old boy Gabby rescued!
Plus, Gabby's dog Jepoy. Unfortunately, his lady dog friend drowned the night before.
Chocolate-colored flood water creeps for so many blocks in one of the flooded barangays.
Long time cameraman Jayson shoots yet another flood situationer.
B-Balling? Why not??
