09/26/2026
I spent 2 weeks in Philippines from Sept 2 to Sept 18, 2026. My flight arrived August 31 at 9:30pm, but our pick up couldn’t pass NLEX highway due to flooding. Our family then switch their ride to a bus and they arrived in Manila airport to see us on Sept 1 at 4:30am. This was after traveling over 13.5 hours without food and being stranded on the highway due to flooding. Since they didn’t have the rented van, we went to PTex and ride a bus to go home ; the roads were closed and the ride that supposed to lasts 3 hours became 14.45 hours circling different provinces to be able to cross and reach the destination. With that long hours of bus ride; definitely hard but some fun because some of the passengers has family that kept calling for an update’s where about of the bus and us passengers, which they responded with lame enthusiasm and some humor that made us laugh. This long ride made us reached home by Sept 2, at 8:45pm.
The two weeks was non stop rains, strong winds and some flooding. Kids playing the street in-spite of rains. Vendors pedaled and sells goods in spite on rains. It’s was fun buying hot breakfast rolls from a man pedaling a bike with built in oven powered by gas tanked. We played cards and eat and watched TV and looked outside and ran inside the house on loud thunders and scary lightnings.
I met some recipients of the Rice donations. And they were very grateful. I’m humbled. Life is truly difficult to many and the small amount of help Rice Across The Miles provide means a lot. I hope I can get some donations other than personal funds I save every paycheck. I hope that Rice Across The Miles can provide more help.
Thank you all who read this
