> PLAY > Day 66 of #ISANGDAAN Journey
Read first the conversation so you can understand how I became a “Big Brother”
James: Hello, pwede ba ako magsabit ng hammock sa malapit sa may tent nyo? (Hello, can I hang my hammock near your tent area?)
Connie: Taga-saan ba kayo? Anung ginagawa nyo dito? (Where are you from? What are you doing here?)
James: Taga-Manila ako, nandito ako kasi gusto ko bisitahin ang tent city at nagsusulat din ako ng libro sa mga adventures ko. (I’m from Manila, Im here because I want to see the Tent City and write something about it.)
Connie: Sige kuya, okay lang. Anu pong pangalan nyo ulit? (Sure Kuya, it’s okay. What’s your name?)
James: James, Kuya James nalang tawag nyo sa akin. (James, you can call me Kuya James)
Honey: Ay sige kuya, pwedeng-pwede. (Oh sure! You can!)
(2 kids came along, Heidi and RJ)
James: Hello, ang gwapa naman nito (Heidi). Unsa imong ngalan? (Hello, hey, this kid is so beautiful)
Honey: Kapatid ko po yan- si Heidi (She is my sister, her name is Heidi)
James: Gwapa kaayo! Asa man magulang mo? (Sooo beautiful. Where’s your parents)
Kid 1: Wala po. (Not here.)
James: Wala? Nasaan? (Not here? Where?)
Honey: Wala na, nakasama sa baha. (They are gone. They died because of typhoon Sendong)
James: Whew! (Stunned! Speechless!)
Connie: Kuya, 5 yan sila magkakapatid, yung dalawa nilang kuya at mga magulang nakasama sa naanod sa baha kasi niligtas silang 3. Sila nalang natira, sinasamahan ko na lang sila sa tent kasi kami ng pamila ko, kumpleto naman, mga pinsan ko lang yung namatay ng Sendong. (Kuya, they are 5 in the family, 2 of their older brothers and their parents died because of the flood. They are the ones left and I am just helping them in their tent because our family is complete. Only my cousins died during the typhoon.)
This is their tent
Shot from inside the tent, where I slept over for 2 nights
Typhoon Sendong claimed more than a thousand of lives in Iligan City, CDO and Dumagute City. One of the deadliest typhoons in the Philippines.
<< REWIND << Day 65 of #ISANGDAAN Journey
Iligan City 4 Months after Typhoon Sendong
I saw first-hand the victims of typhoon Sendong (during December 2011) and my heart cried. My excitement of seeing Tinago Falls again was replaced with unexplainable sorrow. My thrill turned to despair. Why? Because hundreds, no make it thousands of my kababayans are still homeless, living in a tent with no enough supply of water, no proper comfort rooms, no electricity.
So, instead of exploring more of Iligan City, I decided to slow down and observe. I want to somehow feel them. I’m not contended with having sympathy, I want to be empathetic to the kids, the young people, the victims.
An altar for the dead, a lot of this can be seen in Bayug island. A house stands in this place before the typhoon but all were washed away.
So I asked my local friend and travel blogger Lai to bring me to Bayug island or ground zero (this is where most lives are taken) and tell me stories about the flood. She and the Iligan Bloggers Society are the ones who spearheaded the fund-raising and relief-distribution, a very successful drive called ONE FOR ILIGAN.
I was teary-eyed and heart-broken after the story, I decided to leave the place asap because I might get depressed (Note: I’m not an emotional person).
Ground Zero, one of the 2 rivers that claimed the lives of many Iliganons
Visiting the “Tent City”
The following day, I decided to go back and see the “Tent City” near the bus terminal. The “tent city” is the temporary evacuation center for the victims of Sendong flood. Even if someone wants to sponsor my stay in a hotel, I told Lai that I want to spend a night at Tent City and observe the people there. I have a background in counseling and youth development so I somehow want to help them. I was planning to use my hammock and spend considerable amount of time so I have a much deeper story about the place.
The Tent City, near the bus terminal
>> FAST FORWARD >> Day 67 of #ISANGDAAN Journey
Here’s the video of their answer and what happened the next day:
For 2 day and 2 nights I spend time with these kids, I became a big brother, I brought them to Tinago Falls so they can play and for a minute forget about what just happened. Even though I was strict on spending Php500/day, this is different, I didn’t mind over-spending that day.
My gratitude also goes to Lai aka Pinay Travelista (thanks for touring me around) and Alex of Choose Iligan City (who became our photographer during the trip, most of the shots are taken by him). Thanks for chipping in for other expenses during this trip.
We enjoyed the short excursion to Tinago Falls
Honey and Connie love to jump!
She misses her older brother (wipes tears from her face)
James Wearing Four Different Hats- a series of some unforgettable moments during my #isangdaan journey.
Rice Terraces Farmer / Big Brother / Copra Farmer / Luxury Traveler
___ ___ ___
This is post part of ISANG DAAN Journey. ISANG DAAN is a personal journey and challenge to backpack around the Philippines the cheapest way possible for 100 days.
If you want real time updates, you can check my facebook page:www.facebook.com/journeyingjames or follow me on twitter: @journeyingjames
If you want to follow my steps, I have an interactive map
Days 1-50: ISANGDAAN Journey map. Days 51-100- ISANGDAAN Journey map.
THE BEST bai! You are an inspiration to many people!
Very nice post James. Very inspiring. By the way, in Bisaya/Cebuano, magulang means older brother/sister. Bisaya for parents is ginika-nan. From the root word “gikan” which means, from where you are.
thanks regin! now i learned new visayan words.
so many lives the typhoon has claimed.
thanks for this inspiring story james. nice of you to treat them to a vacation for awhile. ayos pre!
not only me, Lai and Alex extended some help too!
Nakwento nila Honey kung pano ka nila na-meet. sabe nila gwapo ka daw, ang tangkad! haha bsta s immersion tlga, bilib ako sayo. thanks so much James for etting me meet them. nakakatuwa sila at nakaka-inspire.
glad that you were able to visit them. alam ko inasikaso ka rin nila, thanks for giving something din.
talaga, sinabi nila yun? mababait talaga yang mga batang yan noh? nagsasabi ng totoo (they tell the truth!)
From someone who was there after Sendong destroyed the lives of the people in Iligan City, reading stories such as this always makes me shed tears…The waning about “preparing a tissue” is a kind gesture but I guess should you say “more tissue wipes.” On the bright side, the jump shots made me smile…it tickles my ego, that I did great in this photo. It was worth it – climbing on rocks! I really had fun! Thanks for the mention James!
i can remember your stories, grabe! wala akong masabi. this is the most i can do, hope Iligan city LGU would build the houses ASAP!
thanks for the great shots Alex and for helping out!
You are very welcome James!
From where I am sitting right now, I can see Sta. Elena relocation site…
Looks like everything is fine naman…:) sana nga matapos na lahat yan…para okay na rin lahat.
Inspiring! 🙂
i also heard about your story and RJ.. heartbreaking. for little ones to lose their parents is really traumatic.
indeed! i really dont know how to react when i learned that they lose their parents.
my training is not enough to deal with them.
This got me teary eyed. It’s good to see the kids having fun despite their situation. Thanks Kuya James!
James, If you plan anything in the future for the Iligan Kids. Count me in. I’ll help as much as I can 🙂 It was nice meeting you in Davao. I know that you have a golden heart. Congrats on finishing successfully your “100 days adventure in the whole Philippines :): Bravo!
hi aileen! i’ll let you know if a project or something is on the cupboard.
thanks din
I love the last photo! <3<3<3
Good post James …..now, i’m teary-eyed… :((
i want to share this post to my friend who lost his house & car to typhoon Sendong.He’s suffering from depression.Reading this may make him realize that more people,like these kids, has lost more than he has.And that he still has a lot to thank for.
in behalf of my fellow Iliganon,Daghan kaayong Salamat!
i hope so… i kept some details pa tungkol sa kids a secret, sa book ko nlng ikkwento lahat.
way sapayan Tsari!
That’s so very selfless of you james, hats off to you
thanks also to alex and lai!
i should say that this was my favorite part of the isangdaan challenge. i noticed that the connection that you made is really authentic and you made them happy. astig big brother James!
thanks bosing! more stories on the book!
When I read this post James, I just remembered my cousin, her whole family was gone and washed away with the killer typhoon Sendong. They live near the river bank in Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City. I also admired Lai’s and company efforts to lead and extending a helping hand to the victims. Indeed, you did a great job and surely you are their inspiration. :-).
I saw your interview a while ago @ ANC. You’re simply amazing! Thanks for passing by our beloved City and featuring my fave waterfall, Tinago Falls. I can feel your great faith that made you go through your successful journey: faith in yourself, faith in the inherent goodness of every human person and, most of all, faith in a loving, providential God. Congrats James! Hope to meet you sometime. Keep the faith! There is more to discover! 🙂
The City of Waterfalls- Iligan. thanks joel, yep. im keeping he faith!
glad you were able to catch the news
Napakabusilak ng iyong puso at kalooban James,ang mga bata ay isang buhay na patunay at manipestasyon na tayong mga Pilipino ni minsan sa hinuha naten ay hindi nagpapalukob sa masakit na realidad ng mundo bagkus pilit na pinapatimyas ang apoy sa kaibuturan na mapagtagumyan ang mga hamong pilit kumukubkob, sinasadlak sa putikan.
wow! lalim naman nito jade.
maraming salamat!
Ohh my James, the video made me cry! I spend my college years in Iligan, so the place is like a 2nd home to me. Was so sad about the Bagyong Sendong. I hope Iligan can recover very soon. You´re such an inspiration James! Our country need more people like you.:) Keep it up!
thanks julai for watching the vid. hope it will inspire more people in iligan
this is very inspiring James:)
if i were not mistaken sila yung nafeature sa wish ko lang, tama ba? or iba yun?
yes darwin, they were featured bec of this.
this one’s a tear-jerker..good job! keep inspiring people in ur travels..thanks 4 being an inspiration as well…God bless u!btw i bookmarked ur blog-was fishing for travel ideas for palawan- accidentally came across with it and can’t stop reading d rest of ur stories but have to stop now coz i need to get back to work..will surely spend more time reading before bedtime from today and onwards!!!keep it coming JAMES!
thanks for this lovely comment angela! hope that you love the blog as you read more.
cheers and enjoy palawan!
thumbs ako sau james! u inspired me to travel too! teary eyed ako lage sa mga post mo, super nakakainspired. before ayoko mgtravel. takot akong pumunta sa isang lugar na walang kakilala, but reading all your post motivate me not just to travel but also to create my BUCKETLIST. you are right we are not getting any younger we must try to list thing that we want to do and try to accomplish things one step at a time at kung may mga bagay na wala sa plano mo just go with the flow you’ll never know na ito pala ang magbabago ng pananaw mo sa buhay at magbibigay sa trip mo ng extrang excitement. kudos sau bro! keep safe and travel more while spending less! god bless!
thank you lee for the feedback.
hope you can visit not so well-known sites too.
enjoy traveling