Under Falcon's wings

Last week's 'wet-from-all-angles' sailing experience left no doubt: the typhoon season has officially started in the Philippines.

Since yesterday, it is typhoon Falcon spreading its wet wings over Luzon. No storm signal had been issued for Metro Manila. Strong winds are truly not the problem. It is heavy rainfall which “reached the “abnormal” level of 44.4 millimeters in just three hours, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., way above the normal level for June of 10 mm per day” which paralyzes the city.

My ordeal started already Wednesday night. Heavy rains woke me up several times. I started panicking at the thought of being trapped in the bus to commute to the office. The roads are in bad shape anyway since our water provider Maynilad started ripping them open for pipe work half a year ago. My imagination was running wild what non-stop rain would do to my 2 hour commute (one way) to the office...

In the morning I treated myself to a cab ride in. Taking a different route, I made it to work within an hour!

Intramuros, the walled city in old Manila, was still passable at 7am. Despite the rain, the office had electricity and internet! Not always the case during typhoon season.

When I left the office for lunch break at noon small puddles sprung up her and there. Coming back to the office an hour later I was already tip-toeing through a sheet of water. When I left the office at 6pm, Intramuros was completely submerged!

Luckily, I got a ride to Makati. Staring out the window of my waterproof air-conditioned vehicle I watched Intramuros, Malate, and Manila Bay flush by. Makati was a big swimming pool with people walking knee deep in the murky water. Needles to say Manila's infamous traffic chaos worsened with every drop of rain!

The main arteries and veins that keep Manila's traffic somewhat moving were blood red, tinted by the tail lights of non moving cars. Glenn was stuck on the new Skyway whose exits were backed up. His only way forward was to go backward. Back to Alabang that was. I knew no cab would dare taking me south either (or maybe for triple the usual price). In short: I was trapped in Makati for the night.

Thanks to a well functioning social and cell phone network it took me a few texts to arrange a shelter for the night. Lesson learned: be prepared! Until the end of typhoon season, I’ll always carry a toothbrush and a clean set of underwear!