Much have been said and written about the great calamities that were Ondoy and Pepeng. They claimed homes, hard-earned possessions and sadly, loved ones. Indeed it was a harrowing experience that will forever be etched in the lives not only of those affected but of the Filipino people as a whole.
But despite of it all, what ultimately marked in our lives are the spirit of resiliency and "bayanihan" that Filipinos showed in midst of calamity. All of a sudden "bayanihan" showed up in people selflessly reaching out a helping hand, rescuing others even if their own lives were put into danger, welcoming the homeless in their homes, sharing precious time for reliefs operation, pitching in some cash even if it were the last in their pockets. The list could go on and on. In our own little way we provided comfort for those people who have lost so much.
Filipinos are people with strength. We've been through countless calamities and adversities but we always have this fire inside us to courageously rise and rebuild our lives and homes and definitely it is always a massive task if we have nothing left to rebuild in the first place. But our faith and hope have never failed us. We know and believe that we can victoriously rise with a big smile in our face.
Each one of us is a natural hero. Indeed it is true and I proudly say from this nook of the earth where I am now, "Where I am from, everyone is a hero".
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