Fire and Renewed Hope

The usual shouts “Sunog! Sunog! Sunog!” isn’t as popular. When there’s fire, fingers tapping those tiny cellphone keys shout “Sunog! Sunog! Sunog!”

Nasipit, Talamban, Cebu @ 11: 45 I was drafting an angry commentary on the recent hostage drama when buzzes and knocks woke up my fellow boarders – most of whom are students. There was fire a house away (15 m) from the compound’s main gate. Outside was a fiery spectacle under a drizzly rain engulfing at least three houses nearby. Warnings were given to secure belongings and wake everyone.

Murmurs and talks, not shouts, dominated the air. Worried yet amazed looks of young college students, guardians and bystanders masked almost every faces. There was fire and all I saw were people hastily texting and calling friends and parents. Not the usual “Sunog! Sunog! Sunog!” Weird.

10 minutes later firemen came; some 45 more minutes and the fire is contained and dying.

I walked pass the long pipes and drenched humanities. Upon reaching the main street I saw almost every emergency respond units available. I counted  8 firetrucks, 5 ambulances, 4 barangay volunteer groups, the recently infamous PNP, and some other men in uniform of agencies and volunteer groups I didn’t know existed. It was a community of service.

It dawned on me. It’s as Pinoy as we can be. We’re always willing to help, often jumping into the scene without thorough analysis of the situation. Sometimes it looks chaotic.  The same happened in the Rolando Mendoza hostage massacre. Mishandled, poor judgment by the authorities and just plain “malas.” The international and local communities are still enraged over the outcome of the hostage drama. Disheartening but true, the Philippines is now the “worst place to visit” according to CNN.

Amidst all these, the camaraderie, one-ness and helping hands I witnessed in the fire renewed my hope for our country. I felt proud again to be Filipino.

Here are some pictures I took with a crappy Moto WX395 Camera.

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