A tv station interviewed some people, and the most common answer was “lack of discipline”. Maybe, but partly correct.

I believe the real reason is the age old corruption happening inside the LTO offices all around the Philippines, specifically in the approval of licenses to motorists.

Buy this photo at iStockphoto.

Just bribe a corrupt LTO employee and one undeserving motorist will have the license in a matter of days.

I’m pretty sure, some of you reading this could relate to this .

So an undeserving driver is out there on the streets.

If an untrained driver gets into an accident, could get away just by bribing a corrupt traffic officer. He escapes the chance to get educated about basics in traffic rules. There is another risk of him or her getting into an accident in the future.

Contrary to the popular knowledge about God’s ways, God did not send the Sendong typhoon to the people.

Christians or even non-Christians have always believed that God would give man calamity, problem, sickness.

We are now in the age of grace. The age of Jesus Christ. The words in John 10:10 supports it: “A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

Those are Jesus’ words.

The calamities, problems and sicknesses that people get are the consequences of our own sins or from our past mistakes. It is also from the Devil himself, the “thief” spoken about in the above Bible verse.

The flood was the result of many sins committed by a lot of people. People did not follow the total log ban. Lumber yard owners bribed DENR officials or local politicians. While the truck drivers delivering the contraband logs giving bribes to the police or military in check points.

God is always good. He will never punish us for the sins we commit. He will only do so at his Second Coming.

Just humbly ask God for an abundant life, he will grant it to you generously.

In every unfortunate events such as Sendong, depression grips those who were directly affected. But depression does not only confine within the affected, even those who live several kilometers away from the flood site. I too had occasional depression every time I hear the sad stories of the victims.

Hearing stories of survival from the Sendong survivors somehow inspires me. Gone will be depression or at least overcome by the stories of the people below.

I was in the commencement ceremony of the GK housing project for Sendong survivors in Sta. Elena.

One of the survivors Joanne Valdez was invited to speak about her experience. After her talk, I approached and asked her again a few questions and told her if I could interview her again the following day.

We both agreed that we meet at the evacuation center in Sta. Filomena high school campus in the morning.

I arrived around 10:45 am, but for some reason she was not there. Instead I met these two women whose tent just stood nearby Joanne’s.

They told me of their lack and frustrations, but holding it back a bit when I told them I’m just a volunteer. But I did tell them that VP Binay through City Hall is giving P3,000 financial assistance to small business owners who were affected by Sendong.

They offered me a monobloc chair to sit on, I refused, I don’t want to feel special, survivors should get special treatment.

Erlinda Torres and Loyla Nangcas
Erlinda Torres and her daughter Loyla Nangcas agreed to be interviewed. They asked me a few curious questions, I noticed in their questions that they were frustrated and needing a lot of help. Relief goods were not enough for them.

They lost practically everything. They want to sell Balut again, but currently don’t have the money.

Erlinda Torres cries as she recounts what her husband went through during the flood. He was found alive the following day Sunday at 2pm in Dalipuga, about 8 kilometers from Bayug Island.

Erlinda told me that her husband saw the much talked about “huge ship surrounded with lights”. She said, he closed his eyes and when he opened it, the ship was no longer there.

She wants to go back doing business again. Before the flood, she used to sell vegetables at the market by day, and balut at night.

Her daughter, Loyla Nangcas is married and has one daughter, her husband and only daughter survived.

Loyla’s husband was temporarily swept by the flood, but got hold of a coconut tree. He also saved two kids, all three of them hugging the coconut tree for 12 to 13 hours, waiting for the flood to recede.

The flood started at 1:00am. So probably they climbed down at 2:00pm. Wow, that must be exhausting. I admire their will to survive.

She, her daughter and mother ran  to the highway, and was blessed to climbed up to a two storey office located just beside the road.

Just like her mother, Loyla wants to sell balut again, her husband’s temporary job of quarrying sands at Bayug Island only earns them 100 day. She used to earn more than 200 pesos a day selling balut at Mindanao Sanitarium and Hospital, near Mackies in Tibanga.

They were both kind and willing to grant my request to go to the site of their homes in Bayug Island.

Erlinda Torres standing on where her house used to stand.

Loyla Nangcas and her daughter standing on site of their wiped out home. See the two sticks on their right and left? It is to used as a marker.

Her daughter is scared to go back to school, the flood has a significant effect on her.

Primitiba Emborong
Primitiba caught us up in Bayug Island. She is also lives in the tent city at Sta. Filomena high school.

She and her husband Ricardo were swept by the wild flood, and landed in Manticao, Misamis Oriental. That’s probably 30 to 40 kilometres away from Iligan City.

She was claiming the Psalm 91, “I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.”

As she was riding in the wave, she prayed, “Lord, please e likay ang mga troso!” and the raging big trees would miraculously evade her.

She too saw the ship along Mandulog river.

Her mother in law and granddaughter is currently missing.

Primitiba and Ricardo Emoborong standing on their former homes. Ricardo took a quick break from quarrying the sand nearby, just for this shoot.

The neighbours of Purok Duranta, Bayug Island.

Let’s rebuild their lives and homes. Any help is very much welcome.

Donate to One for Iligan and volunteer  for Gawad Kalinga.

After Steve Jobs died, my Facebook and Google+ walls were littered with RIP wishes for Steve Jobs, most of them from my Filipino friends.

In Iligan City alone there are over 900 people who are either dead or missing. In Cagayan de Oro there are about 2000 dead or missing. Missing can now be considered dead, in my opinion.

Jayson Maurice and my newphew Crismar, still missing.

Finally, my own “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” book.

I’ve been wanting to have this book for years. Just did not have enough effort to get one for myself.

I only read the excerpt of the book online. Nevertheless, it changed the way I view about making money.

I hope after reading this book, it will further revolutionize my dream, and that dream a reality.

You should get one. Amazon is selling it.

I think I was imagining things because there was a heavy rain last night.

Sendong instilled fear and paranoia practically everyone.

I called some friends on the phone, three of them, to ask if there’s a flood going on.

The weather is sowing fear into the minds of most residents in Iligan City after the Sendong calamity.

I was not spared with this fear. Fear is the enemy, and it should be defeated.

But was it really a mere imagination?

Several bodies were retrieved here after Sendong typhoon hit Iligan City.

Typhoon Sendong reached Iligan City last night. The wind and rain was so strong, but I did not care. It was just one of those typhoons, I thought.

At around 11pm, internet connection was off. I tried turning off and on the router to revive the connection. After 15 minutes, I gave up and went to sleep.

In the morning at 7:00 am, there was still no internet connection.

I grumbled.

I better go to my appointment at 8:00 am.

A friend with a car saw me waiting for a public transport which was scarce. He let me inside his car, then he told me that the typhoon was strong, and that his office mate’s daughter died.

The flood was over 6 feet. Many died which was unaccounted for at the time in 7:45 in the morning.

The typhoon left with huge damage in Iligan City, Cagayan De Oro and other areas in Northern Mindanao. My rough estimate more than 100 people died in Iligan alone.

I was complaining about the internet connection when there is an ever bigger and more serious problem around me.

Please see the photos I shot in the aftermath of the typhoon Sendong in Iligan City.

Ways to donate: http://storify.com/moveph/how-you-can-help-sendong-victims

Are you the type of Pinoy that quickly demand apologies from somebody that belittles the Philippines or the Filipinos, then this video is for you.

Frankly, this video is not for me, dili ko pikon or balat sibuyas.

Filipinos are so ironic. They love to make racist jokes on black people, but could not stomach light jokes.

When there are dreamers, there will always be dream breakers just sitting around the corner. Waiting for the dreamer to say something “impossible” to achieve in his or her lifetime.

In the Bible, Joseph the Dreamer had dream breakers in his brothers. Yes, dream breakers could be your brother, sister, father, mother, daughter, or son.

Your father could make fun of your plans and dreams, and may even say something to hurt your feelings to “help” you wake up and simply stop dreaming.

Some dream breakers are our friends. Let’s be watchful.

The Britain’s Got Talent runner up Susan Boyle was not spared with the dream breakers in this life. She once joined a talent show, and harshly mocked by the host, perhaps a way for her not win the contest.

She was 47 when she became a worldwide hit. Usually, singers get recognized even when they’re teens or in their twenties. Her dream got delayed, but Susan never gave up on her dream.

The dream breaker could also be our own self. We could be a dream breaker on somebody else’s dream or on our own dream.

Be a dream maker for others and yourself. Never give up, and keep dreaming impossible dreams.

Below is video of Susan Boyle’s story:
Part 1
Part 2