Storm Ondoy — Even MMDA Chief Bayani Fernando Could Not Rescue Only Child, Daughter Tala Maria, Held Up in Their Family-Owned Steel Factory in Cainta

27 September 2009

Storm Ondoy has become a leveler of Philippine society.  Since yesterday and probably for the next few days, those caught up in Ondoy's fury, young or old, rich or poor, have found themselves standing at par with each other — all victims of nature's uncontrollable wrath.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, in its online article written by Allison Lopez, entitled Even MMDA Could Not Rescue Stranded Daughter, that rude realization has come the way of Bayani Fernando, the powerful chief of the Metro Manila Development Authority.  I quote the article below:

MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando said that at past 10 a.m. on Sunday, he had yet to speak with his 23-year-old daughter Tala Maria, who worked in the family-owned steel factory in Cainta.

"Na-stranded din siya kasi mababa din yung lugar doon. Down kasi lahat ng communications kahapon (Saturday) kaya the whole day, the whole night, hindi ko pa siya nakakausap (She was also stranded because she was in a low-lying area. All communication were down yesterday and that’s why, I have not been able to talk to her the whole day, the whole night)," he said in a phone interview.

The incident revealed a side of Bayani Fernando that we don't normally see:

Although he worried about his daughter, Fernando said he felt helpless because many others were also in dire need of help.

"Nahiya naman ako magpadala ng rubber boat kasi marami rin ang nangangailangan (I didn’t feel comfortable sending a rubber boat because others were in need of rescuing too)," he said.

I am not a big fan of the MMDA Chairman but I share his concern for his daughter as I share the concern of countless others who have relatives and loved ones still in harm's way. I hope the report is accurate that Chairman Fernando's wife has received word that their one and only child Tala Maria is fine.