Hi! Co-hivers, it's Alycha again in your feed. It's been a week since I've posted a blog, and I hope that you will still support me.
So on this blog of mine I will be tackling about the disaster that we are currently facing right now here at the north part of Cebu, Philippines.
We didn't see the earthquake coming, because it was a lovely and normal day. Then suddenly, BOOMMM!! Earthquake!!
On September 30 the disaster happened. I just got home from school—I haven't even changed my clothes when the earthquake occurs. Like I said, I just got home, and I was really starving since it's almost 10 PM, and I haven't had dinner yet.
That's why I decided to eat first before changing my clothes. But suddenly while I was eating, our boarding house was suddenly shaken, totally shaking like crazy. And it was so dark since the electricity turned off (blackout). I and my boardmate run for our lives—it was so scary, especially because I was far from my family.
My mind just stopped working while my mouth was still chewing the food that was inside my mouth 😭. My sanity was back when my boardmate clung onto my arm, because she was also so scared that she forgot her other slipper, since she was doing some laundry when the earthquake happened. I also forgot that I was barefoot—I didn't have time to get my slippers. I would rather go outside barefoot than get that slipper that might cost me my life.
It was so traumatic; my mind was divided—thinking about my family here in Tabogon that was close to the epicentre of the earthquake, which is Bogo City, then the news about the ocean that just vanished from shores, then the tsunami alert. It was super scary since our boarding house was close to oceans; I even prepared the important things, just like what my mother and cousins told me to do.
My family was calling me nonstop, asking if I was okay. My aunt keeps on calling me even though we can't understand each other because of the signal that is not stable. Telling me that my mother was crying nonstop and that she got injured because of the earthquake. She was planning to go to sleep, but while lying down and almost asleep, our house shook, causing her to fall onto the ground and hit her foot on the solid ground of our house. She also got some bruises on her arm and leg.
And I keep on assuring them that I was fine, that I didn't get hurt. And keep reminding them that they should be careful, stay safe, and be vigilant. Since they were close to the epicentre of the earthquake.
When I was inside the bus going to my hometown Tabogon, crying was not on my bingo card that night. Seeing the people that were sleeping outside—beside the roads—broke my heart. It hurts seeing them suffer, especially the elders and the babies that were lying down beside the roads without anything that could cover them from the rain—just a playmate and banig. It really hurts seeing my kababayan suffer, and not being able to do anything about it makes me cry.
But seeing my family in the same situation hits different—the pain was triple. Seeing my injured mama, my lola, and my baby nephews lying beside the roads without anything that could cover them from the cold and rain hurts so much. Especially on how they react to the aftershocks, which I don't know if you can call them aftershocks, since it was still shaking like crazy.
This was my first night sleeping with them beside the road.
It was so hard because it's cold, but I have to remember that it was just my first night—but it was their second.
Water and food were a need, and thankfully the Cebuano people didn't disappoint. A lot of help came—it's just that the help was directed to the Bogo city that was super affected by the earthquake. But thankfully on the next day, a lot of people from the city came inside our small baryo (we are not on the highway, btw).
This is us in the 3rd day.
Then the fourth day.
We already have a cover above our heads and a solar light, thanks to our neighbour that let us borrow his tarp and solar light. We still can't go inside our house since the aftershocks are still strong; that's why my kuya and our neighbours decided that we will stay there for the meantime. But we can't have a cosy sleep because the earthquake will wake you up, and it's scary.
Here are the damages of the earthquake in North Cebu (these photos are not mine).
(San Juan Nepomucino Church in San Remigio)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1452998418853520/permalink/2035648653921824/?app=fbl
FOOD CHAIN IN BOGO CITY
(McDonald's)
(Jollibee)
(St. Martin De Porres Parish Church in Ilihan, Tabogon, Cebu)
(Yolanda Village in Bogo City, Cebu)
(Tabogon Port)
And A LOTTTT MOREE!!!
While making this blog of mine, aftershocks are still ongoing, they're scary, but it's okay. We might be suffering right now, making our lives miserable—but I will assure you, we will definitely rise again. NORTH CEBU WILL DEFINITELY RISE AGAIN!!
To those people that are from north Cebu, please be safe and stay vigilant. We might be at a loss, scared, and suffering from this tragedy, but let us always remember, we are FILIPINOS—GIVING UP ISN'T IN OUR VOCABULARY!! WE GOT THIS!! YAKANG YAKA RANI NATO!!
We will be fine—everything will be alright; let's just pray always.
Lovelots,
Alycha 😊💗.
