UPM-SAR Training at ROX

Last night's quick but heavy downpour nearly put Metro Manila into a standstill. Lucky for us, the stretch of C5 on the way to ROX High Street was surprisingly clear of vehicles, so I made it to the UPM-Search and Rescue (UPM-SAR) training (I found out that Katipunan was knee-deep in flood so very few cars could pass all the way to C5).

Rainy season is upon us, and what happened last night is a clear sign that Metro Manila is f**ked once a major disaster happens. If a brief rain shower like that could cause chaos, what more a massive typhoon or worse, a major earthquake? Which is why the SAR training is even more relevant than ever.

new recruits for the UPM-SAR Team (photo: Ninoy Leyran)

Super Mario

Four days of nothing. That's how I describe my long weekend (Friday to Monday). Well actually, it doesn't mean I didn't have anything; it was just different from what I expected.

It was a rainy Thursday night when I started packing for our trip to Kibungan for the UPM induction climb. I knew it would be a wet weekend since the forecasts said so very early in the week. But I didn't expect that the weather would turn for the worse. I was woken up by a call from my brother-in-law asking if I can lend them my pick-up truck, because their house was on the verge of getting flooded. It didn't sink in at first, but then we realized that the situation was bad; Mario's wrath was reminiscent of Ondoy five years ago. 

So much for the weekend plans. At least we have something to keep us warm. #MarioPartyPooper #Osprey #GP (Instagram)