On September 26, 2009, Typhoon “Ondoy” (internationally named “Ketsana”) devastated major regions of the Philippine Islands, most particularly the Metropolitan Manila area as it caused one of the most severe flashfloods the country has seen since the early 1960’s.
Although “Ondoy” was classified only as a signal number 1 type of storm, it brought down unusually large amounts of rainfall on the Philippines largest island, Luzon. While the whole month of September had already proven to be record breaking by bringing down the highest average rainfall of 390 mm (15.35 in), “Ondoy” easily broke the record by bringing down 410 mm (16.14 in) of rain in just 9 straight hours of raining [Hurricane Katrina brought 380 mm or 14.96 in].
Metro Manila was totally unprepared for the devastation that the typhoon brought. In particular, Marikina City (location of Jesus Saves Celebration of 2007), Pasig City, the Municipality of Cainta in Rizal, and Taguig, were the most severely hit by the flashfloods that destroyed houses, properties, commercial establishments, and even churches.
The Christian Bible Baptist Church of Pasig with Ptr. Adolfo Recto remains to be under flood waters two weeks after typhoon Ondoy had already left. The Lighthouse Bible Baptist Church led by Ptr. Reuben Abante experienced flood waters higher than the average human being’s height. The flood waters stopped just one foot away from entering the auditorium on the second floor.
In Marikina, the Moriah Bible Baptist Church with Ptr. Efren Padua also incurred damages amounting up to a conservative estimate of 1 million pesos. Among the facilities destroyed in Ptr. Padua’s church were the school facilities of the Moriah Christian Academy, as well as some of the church staff housing. Also in Marikina, Ptr. Manny Orara and the entire Maranatha International Baptist Church were severely affected by the flash floods. It is even more disheartening to report that some of the church’s members are still missing up to this day. Some provinces outside Manila, such as Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna and Rizal, were also greatly affected by the typhoon.
The Metropolitan Bible Baptist Church, led by World Hope Asia Director, Pastor and Congressman Benny Abante, was affect by the devastating flooding in the metropolis as well. A day before the church would have her 34th Anniversary Celebrations, knee-high floodwaters reached inside the church’s ground floor facilities. All roads leading to MBBC were impassable to any form of vehicle for two days. Electricity was not restored until late morning the following Monday.
Two weeks after the wrath of typhoon “Ondoy”, a lot of Filipino families have yet to see their houses. As of late, more than 50 public schools, basketball courts, health centers, and multi-purpose halls have all been converted to evacuation centers. But these could only accommodate more than 4,000 families that have been displaced in Manila alone. In other places, like Taguig and Pasig, the residents are to expect a dismaying Christmas holiday, as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reported that the flood waters in their area will take the entire remainder of the year before all flood waters would have subsided. More than 350 have already been found dead in various places in the metropolis. Even more are still missing.