Topper in Bacolod

[malmomike77]

We're running out of year

[katie23]

^Lol. You need a map of Asia & schedule of which holidays to avoid.

Since Topper is probably incommunicado due to power/ internet lines down, here are some vids from a local vlogger. He's Paolo Rigotti, a mestizo (luk kreung), Filipina mom, Swiss-Italian dad. The vids are from Bohol, a neighboring island to that of Topper's.

@takeovers - if you're reading this, you might recognize some places. The guy lives in Tagbilaran but his parents live in Dimiao town. Vids of the morning after the storm. Most of the island doesn't have power/ cell signal. I saw many ppl in the comments asking the guy to visit this or that town, since they couldn't contact their relatives. His parents probably have a generator & good internet, so he was still able to upload vids. He mentioned that there's no power in his apartment building.

[Saint Willy]

Wow, thanks for posting Katie.

[bsnub]

Wow, thanks for posting Katie.

Ya, she is a real asset to this community.

[Topper]

Here's a video that covers Bacolod....basically mango tree related damage. We were very lucky. Our electricity was back this morning, only a 1-1/2 of outage, which is amazing. Our internet never went completely out.

[Saint Willy]

Our internet never went completely out.

thank phark for that!

[katie23]

@topper - I'm glad your electric supply is back. So many people in the Visayas/ Mindanao areas have no power, cell signal & water supply. Some say that it was almost as strong as typhoon Yolanda/ Haiyan (2013). That was a huge one - it made landfall in Leyte province around 5 or 6 am. We felt it in my province (in South Luzon) ~12 hours after.

Another vid from Paolo Rigotti in Bohol. Vid is in English - he speaks with an Italian accent (grew up in Switzerland, Italian-speaking region). Vid includes drone footage. Bohol province is now in a state of calamity.



This one has pics of the devastation in Siargao airport at ~7:00 minutes. If you don't want to hear the flight announcements, just skip to the 7 minute mark.




It's on the BBC too.



****

I felt so sad seeing all the destruction, and it's so near Christmas too. Lots of flights have been cancelled due to the storm and now they're still assessing the damage to airports & seaports. Many Filipinos & their families are stranded in airports abroad (especially in middle east), waiting for their connecting flights to PH. I hope they'll be able to spend Christmas or NY with their families.

[Topper]

Our communications dropped out tonight again for about 4 hours, not even phones were working. I've asked the wife in the past to move east to Dumaguete or Cebu, but the eastern islands are the ones hit the hardest by typhoons. In my 'hood in Bacolod, there was literally no damage as the storm had weakened after passing over other islands.

There's tons of relief efforts going on here and we've contributed in both money and goods to help those in need. It's what we do here.

[Saint Willy]

I've asked the wife in the past to move east to Dumaguete or Cebu, but the eastern islands are the ones hit the hardest by typhoons. In my 'hood in Bacolod, there was literally no damage as the storm had weakened after passing over other islands. here.

That almost sounds like you admitting that your wife was right…?

[Topper]

That almost sounds like you admitting that your wife was right…?

Even a blind hog finds an acorn or two....

[Saint Willy]

Even a blind hog finds an acorn or two....

hehe - careful she doesnt read this.

an unscrupulous poster might threaten to inform said wife... but not I

[katie23]

@topper - don't ever decide to live in the islands of Leyte or Samar, because that's where most typhoons land. Also, most areas are still very rural & you might be bored to death. Btw, good onya for helping the family.

Cebu province, Mactan island, Bohol = they were all badly affected. Siargao island (which was a surfing/ tourism island pre-covid) looks heartbreaking now, as it's where the typhoon made landfall. Camiguin island is also devastated. Lots of areas still without electricity, water & cell signal. Many electric poles fell due to strong winds (gusts reached 240 km/hr).

Cebu city & Dumaguete have lots of expats, but that may be more than what you wish for!

******

On my first visit to Puerto Galera (on Mindoro island), I once thought that it's a nice island, near enough to Batangas & Manila. They speak Tagalog too (my dialect) and it would be nice to retire there. On my 2nd visit (it was dry season), I noticed that there were issues like water & electricity supply, higher price of gasoline & goods which needed to be transported from Manila/ Luzon. I scrapped the idea of retiring there - I'll stay in my area of South Luzon. It's near enough to Manila & its conveniences, but far enough from the hustle & bustle.

[panama hat]

It sounds like someone has an 1-1/2" fire hose about 10' away spraying on the house. Only no thunder and lightening like hurricanes. Just really high winds and tons of rain.

Reminiscent of being stuck in a cat 5 on Tonga . . . the wind and accompanying noise is dreadful . . . rain blowing pushed under the doors with an amazing force that it just pushes away towels placed there . . . and the the debris afterwards.

Truly frightening.

Glad to har you didn't cop it too badly yourself, Topper.

[katie23]

Interview of some Cebu residents (with English subtitles), for anyone interested. Many people are now in evacuation centers. Some go there (or to malls) just to charge phones and/ or get cellular signal.



VP Leni Robredo's visit to Dinagat Island, one of the 1st places to be hit by the storm. The roof of the provincial capitol was blown off. So much damage.

[david44]

Best Wishes to all our members but especially those in the Philipiines, poor sods teaching in Thailand for peanuts , serfdom n Saudi, Volcanoes, Hurricanes, Duterte, AIDS, Covid, MILF and now Topper, tiz the wrath of God, or blame that that LapuLapu ?

[Saint Willy]

poor sods teaching in Thailand for peanuts

[david44]

Hate to drub it tin but if you pay peanuts you get.....................................

[Topper]

Reminiscent of being stuck in a cat 5 on Tonga . . . the wind and accompanying noise is dreadful . . . rain blowing pushed under the doors with an amazing force that it just pushes away towels placed there

I was waiting for the roof to blow off any second. It does make sleep difficult.

[Topper]

Just an update...

The internet here has been shit for the last week or so, it seems an international cable got damaged or PLDT (my isp) forgot to pay the rent, so I've had to cancel a lot of classes. It was down for a while tonight but now its doing as well as ever. I can't honestly bitch too much, though, all things considered.

There's a shortage of fresh veggies and the shelves are getting a bit thin here, even with staples like chicken and pork. The wife was told it was due to the storm but I'm guessing the shipping crisis has something to do with it as well.

Last week I did see a father/son team playing guitars and singing to get donations. They were paying a stop by the shop next store, the owner gave them 20 pesos to leave. Luckily I don't have to deal with that where I live and something I'll keep in mind when we buy a house.

I've been watching youtube videos from the storm, it's genuinely heartbreaking. Some of the people won't have electricity for 6 months. I'd be guessing a genset would be a good investment. I saw a 10kva one here for 15K or about 10000B. A genset will be the first thing bought when we get a house, that's for sure.

[Hugh Cow]

I've been watching youtube videos from the storm, it's genuinely heartbreaking. Some of the people won't have electricity for 6 months. I'd be guessing a genset would be a good investment. I saw a 10kva one here for 15K or about 10000B. A genset will be the first thing bought when we get a house, that's for sure.

Are you starting an indoor cannabis hydroponic system Topper? 10 KVA is a decent size generator.

[Latindancer]

He has to make allowances for the neighbours tapping into it....

[beerlaodrinker]

Such a negative old coont. Do you really have such a low opinion of Asians in general? think the neighbours will jump the fence and tap into toppers 10kva generator? Topper may well give permission for them to tap in and contribute to fuel costs etc. During a calamity such as a typhoon.

[beerlaodrinker]

Are you starting an indoor cannabis hydroponic system Topper? 10 KVA is a decent size generator.

Watched one today about siargao. Wow that place got flattened

[DrWilly]

Such a negative old coont. Do you really have such a low opinion of Asians in general? think the neighbours will jump the fence and tap into toppers 10kva generator? Topper may well give permission for them to tap in and contribute to fuel costs etc. During a calamity such as a typhoon.

Community spirit.

You don't get that in Brisbane when it's cloudy. At least from one negative OAP.

[Latindancer]

Such a negative old coont. Do you really have such a low opinion of Asians in general? think the neighbours will jump the fence and tap into toppers 10kva generator? Topper may well give permission for them to tap in and contribute to fuel costs etc. During a calamity such as a typhoon.

Considering ambivalent my comment, thankyou for demonstrating for us what psychological projection is, you

old coont.