‘I almost lost my son during the flood’  

By Katrina Hallare | Field and Emergency Communications Specialist  

“I almost lost my son during the flood,” so says Emerita, 47, a housewife from Quezon City, as she tearfully recalls what happened to her and her family when Super Typhoon Carina’s (international name: Gaemi) non-stop rains brought widespread floods in Metro Manila, the Philippines’ capital region.   

Emerita shares that her eldest son, 21-year-old Norman Jr., was attempting to be rescued for evacuation that day while the floods were rising. She adds that the water almost reached the roof of their home.   

“My son suddenly lost his grip and fell into the flood. I got so scared because, for basically three minutes, he still hadn’t gotten out of the water. That’s where his father jumped in and saved him,” the mother recalls.  

When Norman Jr. was taken out of the flood, Emerita added that her son was already choking because he already had a lot of water in his body.  

“His father tried his hardest to pump the water out of our son’s chest. Luckily, Norman Jr. survived,” the mother says.   

“My son doesn’t know how to swim. We’re lucky his father was there to save him because if not, we could’ve lost him.  I could’ve lost the eldest of my three children,” Emerita tearfully adds.   

Emerita and her family are among the thousands whose houses were heavily damaged by the Super Typhoon. As per data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), on July 26, 299,344 families or 1,319,467 individuals were affected.  Currently, a state of calamity was declared over Metro Manila and the province of Batangas.  

“I hope people survive this crisis,” Emerita says with hope despite what happened to her and her family. “It’s hard that we had to go through this: most of our stuff got ruined by the flood. My youngest daughter’s school supplies got washed away.”   

Emerita’s daughter, eight-year-old Noriens, further shares: “My bag for school got ruined. My pieces of crayons were broken, and my pad paper got wet.”   

“I got sad when my school supplies were ruined, especially since classes are about to start soon,” Noriens, an incoming Grade 3 student, adds with a frown on her face. Schools are set to open once again on July 29.  

Emerita and her daughter are among the families who received assistance from World Vision. On July 26, 989 non-food items – consisting of two blankets, a mosquito net, and a sleeping mat – were distributed among those affected.   

“We’re really thankful that we received these blankets. It gets cold at night, especially while we stay here in the evacuation center,” Emerita says. The mother, while still tearful, says this with a glimmer of hope on her face.  

World Vision works in several areas in Quezon City, where Emerita and her family reside, assisting 4,000 children. In Luzon, one of the Philippine islands, the organization has 10 area programs. Six of these areas were affected by the super typhoon.