The River Wild

Tuesday morning on my way to work I passed through my usual route. The traffic going out of Marikina was heavier than usual. All over the city, piles and piles of mud, garbage and debris were piled up in front of houses, waiting for the garbage trucks to cart them away. That plus stalled and abandoned vehicles littered the roads, so that the streets of Marikina are now an obstacle course. And of course, mud covered everything everywhere. As I passed through the bridge along Marcos Highway, I saw that the river has already reverted back to its original gentle state, its waters calmly flowing within its banks.

Going home in the evening, I had automatically turned to my usual route of JP Rizal, which would take me past the entrance leading to Provident Village, one of the hardest-hit areas in Marikina. By this time some of the roads had dried up, so the mud was replaced by dust. It was already nearly midnight, yet traffic was still crawling. All around the main road were signs of destruction, as all the houses had no electricity and the water-damaged belongings strewed outside. Vehicles were left on the side of the road. As I neared the entrance to the village, I saw more and more police presence. Reports of mass looting may have prompted the city government to send in the troops. Just outside the entrance to the village, the saved vehicles of residents were parked along the road and nearby establishments. I saw one guy opening the trunk of his car, revealing what may be the only remaining personal stuff he has with him—clothes, shoes and some luggage.

With all of the junk and mud strewn outside the houses all over the city, I wondered what would happen if they remain there when the next storm strikes. There are already warnings of another incoming storm.

Past the entrance, the traffic did not ease a bit. That was because the parked vehicles extended all the way to the nearby bridge. As I crawled past the parked cars, I looked at the inky darkness beyond. Usually the riverbank is well lit at night, but for now the river was cloaked in darkness. Somewhere out there, the river lay quiet and peaceful, waiting for the next storm to transform it to a roaring, angry monster.