@ellenmgadarna just replied to my tweet and i cant effin sleep. Gikilig kog maayo. Kasabot mos feeling? Atay :D
LIGHT ONE FOR ILIGAN
Tropical storm Sendong struck Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City. On the night of December 16, 2011, its strongest at around 11P.M. - 1 A.M. the following day, when everyone was asleep and innocent of such danger. It took more than what anyone could have imagined — residences, establishments, public infrastructures, took away and rob people of the lives they used to have. By the morning of December 17, 2011, the sun shined on a blue sky at the devastated Iligan City. One For Iligan started as out as a call for One Dollar for the Victims of Sendong in Iligan City. Social media and networking proved to be undauntingly supportive, after all this is their bread and butter and it did not fail. Today is the 40th day and today at exactly 4pm at the broken bridge of Baranggay Hinaplanon, everyone joined their hands and together they lit a skylantern for the eternal repose of the dead and the missing people during the flashflood.
(Pictures courtesy of my good friend from way way back, Nichelle Rose)
Volunteerism spread like wild fire. Iliganons are amazing and im proud to be one :)
Lighting a sky lantern is a symbol of letting go of our problems, sadness and grief(Buddhist Beliefs) —- to let them float away and in return we will receive enlightenment as the flame of the lantern symbolizes wisdom.
Unfortunately (for me), I wasn’t able to attend the cause. My hometown is 126miles away from Iligan. I envy my friends for being there because all I can do now is to light a candle outsidfeour door and pick one flower from our garden. I offered my prayer.
I know someday, I’ll be seeing hopeful faces who will remember this grey period of time in Iligan. Iligan city, yet a bit bruised, and scarred by Sendong will rise above all.
