Ormoc Tragedies

Ormoc Tragedies

It was raining hard that morning; we went to school with my co-teachers, to Domonar Elementary School, a far-flung and mountain barangay of Ormoc City. As we went home, we heard the news that there was a flashflood in the city where thousands of people died in a glance. On the following day, after school we went to the city, there we saw many dead bodies scattered all around. Many people were roaming around to observe the real scene. Others were looking for the dead bodies of their relatives. Ormoc City looked like a dead city then. No electricity and water. After three days not all dead bodies were identified and it started to decay making a foul smell, the City Government or LGU, in order to prevent diseases, cleaned the city, dead bodies were put in a dump truck and were brought to the cemetery and they made a mass grave for all unidentified victims. Every November 5, we attend the commemoration of the flashflood.

Bernardita P. Maglasang
1991 FLASH FLOOD



Before November 8, 2013, there was an announcement that a super typhoon will hit the Philippines. We were not sure of the exact place where it will fall. We were advised to prepare food, flashlights, water and other things for emergency. On November 8, 2013, at 5:00 am, my family woke up early, the rain started falling down. I prepared breakfast while my husband and my children were in our porch, keeping safe of our vehicles and taking pictures. At 6:00 am strong winds and heavy rains started. The trees were uprooted and fell on the ground. Coconut trees fell down and hit our garage; it was good that our vehicles were transferred. Almost 7:30 in the morning, the wind calmed down and the rain stopped. We went to the street to our neighbors, watching the trees scattered on the ground thinking that the typhoon was over, but later on the wind started to blow stronger, and the rain was very heavy, we rushed to our house as fast as we could. The wind blew stronger and stronger that even our locked doors got open. Our roof was blown away, the waters flooded our floors. The nails and screws from the covered court hit our windows just like a machine gun firing on us. Our house shook I felt it was uprooted, it moved like there was an earthquake. I was afraid then, we had no more roof. My husband told me to be strong because the hospital is difficult to reach. I stayed in the corner of my bedroom and prayed the rosary. At around 2:00 in the afternoon, the wind calmed down and the rain subsided, our house was still filled with water. At nigh we slept in the multicab where me, my husband and son shared a small space.

Bernardita P. Maglasang
TYPHOON YOLANDA



On July 6, 2017 at 4:03 in the afternoon we were in school preparing reports to be submitted, suddenly the pupils shouted, “Linog Mam”, we were shaking. We reminded the pupils to ‘Drop, Cover, and Hold’ as what we did during the earthquake drill. The pupils rushed to the plaza, an open space. They were crying it was good that their parents arrived. We released the pupils after the quake. Due to our earthquake drill, pupils knew already where to go on calamities like this. I was very afraid then, but kept on mind to be strong.

Bernardita P. Maglasang
2017 EARTHQUAKE