Bagyong Emong 2025: Same Name, Same Trauma
July 24, 2025 — a date that reopened an old wound. I was in Patar, Bolinao, when Bagyong Emong came. The name alone already sent chills down my spine. I still remembered a storm with the same name years ago — the fear, the darkness, the howling wind. When I heard on TV that "Emong" was approaching again, I froze. It felt like the past was coming back to haunt me. By late afternoon, the skies over Patar turned a deep gray. The waves grew restless, no longer the calm, crystal-blue waters I loved. At around 6 PM, the wind started banging on the walls of our house. It wasn’t just a storm — it was a memory reawakening. Around 10 PM, we lost power. Total darkness. The roof above us trembled as the wind howled like a wild animal. I kept thinking: “Here we go again.” The same name, the same feeling of helplessness. Rain poured nonstop, strong enough to drown out our voices. Coconut trees bent low outside, some snapping. Water started seeping through the windows and under the door. We grabbed whatever we could to block it, towels, sacks, anything. But nature was stronger. We couldn’t sleep that night. Not because of the noise — but because of the fear. My heart raced the whole time, and I kept replaying scenes from the past storm. Same chaos. Same fear. Same name. The morning after, Patar was a mess. Fallen trees, broken huts, soaked foams, scattered debris. The beach looked like a battlefield. No electricity, no signal, no news — just silence and devastation. It felt like a bad dream all over again. But there was one thing different this time: I was older. I was no longer just a scared kid — I was someone who could help. I joined our neighbors in clearing debris, checking on the elderly. The trauma was still there, but this time, I faced it head-on. Bagyong Emong 2025 wasn’t just a storm. For me, it was a reminder of past pain, a trigger, a test. But it also became a moment of growth. The name may be the same, the fear may return — but this time, I found strength in facing it again, not running from it.
- #BagyongEmmong2025
- #BangonBolinao
- #SameNameSameTrauma