after 48 years (part 2)
Author: KhEyCeE
BACK TO SCHOOL...SOON...
Today is our enrolment, the schedule for seniors. This morning, when I wrote number 4 on the enrolment trial form, I said to myself, "Wow! 4th year na jud ko! Heavy!". I just realized time went by so rapidly and I've come this far already. Ala lang. Nalingaw lang jud ko. Pero in fairness ha, an even greater challenge is ahead of us. I'm quite anxious yet optimistic that I'd be able to surpass the difficulties. Kaya lagi ni. Tira tira! It only takes one year and after all has been done, I'd be able to wear my toga and make my parents proud.
LAAG2X WITH PAUL...
The division coordinator has not yet arrived after we finished filling up the white form for enrolment. So, to kill time, I accompanied Paul to Prudential Life to process his payment for the tuition fee. Unfortunately, the check will be given tomorrow and so, we just went to Jollibee to have lunch. Then, we strolled around the stores at San Pedro, one of the known places in Davao with the cheapest things people can buy with their pennies. Yes, they are cheap but most are of good quality. Though the place is packed with many people, I still like strolling there because I can purchase a lot of things. Really suits thrifty people! Hehe. We even tried some shades there. Then, we went to Mantex to buy some DVDs.
FLOOD IN DAVAO...
We went back to AdDU around 1 pm. We checked on our white forms. Yes, they had already been signed by the division coordinator. Then, I submitted mine to the admissions' office to get my scholarship contract before paying the fee. I got it around 2:30 pm. Right after, I photocopied the contract and send one copy to the assessment office. But I had to postpone the payment tomorrow because I don't have enough money. As I was about to go to Gaisano South to fetch my sister, the rain poured. I decided to stay a little longer since I didn't bring an umbrella. After 40 minutes, I realized the rain was pouring harder. I was stranded at school without any means of getting to my destination. So, I stayed at the food court, chatted with my friends, and texted my sis to wait for me at GS. It was already 4 pm when I left my friends and decided to go to GS - just in time with my sis having finished the movie she's watching with her friends.
But when I went out of the building, I was stunned. Flood was all over AdDU-Claveria. Again, I texted my sis to wait a little bit longer since I can't get through with the current situation. I waited for the rain to stop a bit. Around 5 pm, it already poured gently. But the traffic was quite heavy. I didn't have any choice so I decided to just walk to Ponciano to ride a jeepney going to GS. It was at Marco Polo hotel when I realized the water was getting deeper. It was already knee-level. The rain poured hard again. I had second thoughts whether to continue walking or not. Since it's already late and I'm a bit worried with my younger sister, I folded my pants up to my knees and decided to go into the water. I was really disgusted with the floodwater. Many unidentified dirty objects were floating on it. For sure, they came from the tumbled trash cans along the street. Still, I continued walking trying not to mind the "cleanliness" of the sea-like flood flowing all over the streets. Gibaktas jud nako ai. I was totally wet. My shoes were filled up with water. Rainwater was dripping over my head. People finding shelter under the stalls were looking at me. I didn't mind them na lang.
It took me 10 minutes to wait for the jeep. I spotted a lady near me and asked her if I could share with her umbrella. We chatted and I learned we had the same destination. Finally, we found a jeepney. We rode together and I thanked her for her kindness. It took the jeepney 40 minutes to arrive at Ilustre. Then, I walked again towards McDonald's, in front of GS. I found my sis waiting for me with Papa. Again, we waited for a ride home. Yet, no vacant seats were found in every jeepney that passed. So, we decided to just pakyaw a tricycle. Thanks God! We arrived safe and sound.
After that strange experience, I kept on wondering why that knee-level water flooded most of the streets in Davao. It was really weird! In fact, it was the first time Davao experienced that phenomenon. Davao used to be a flood-free city. But why was it severely flooded all of a sudden? Was it because of the climate change? Or the result of environmental abuses? The overflowing of Davao River? The decreasing number of trees? I really don't know. But I hope the local government and the people itself find a way to resolve this problem. It's disturbing, really! I hope it won't happen again. I fear that if it happens again, it will be worse than this.
