OFFBEAT MAIL

The non-stop torrential rains that brought Metro Manila to a standstill had slowly subsided, my relatives said. They said the sun has finally come out to shower the flooded streets with its golden rays. But for me, it isn't enough to dry up the surface and extinguish the fears that still grip most Filipinos whose households were submerged under water. All we could blame were the monsoon rains that continuously poured over most parts of central and northern Luzon areas. As weather officials said in a broadcast, there was no typhoon but a low pressure area far away from the Philippines.  The typhoon was headed to Taiwan and Mainland China, where some 250,000 were already affected as the typhoon made a landfall, a newswires agency said. Accordingly, people have started picking up the pieces. In some areas in Marikina City, where most of the barangays were heavily inundated, many of the displaced residents begin returning to their homes. "I'm sure, there will be a lot

My worst fear came on Tuesday when heavy rains continuously pounded most parts of central and northern Luzon in the Philippines. Hence, heavy flooding had paralyzed Metro Manila and other outlying areas. Consequently, the national government had ordered the suspension of classes in all levels and workers in public and the private sectors were instructed to go home. Likewise, many vehicles were stuck along the roads and highways. Many people were stranded as the vehicles they're riding got stuck along the flooded highways. Weather officials said the situation was a repeat of a strong typhoon named "Ondoy"  which hit the country in 2009. Surprisingly, the heavy rains were not brought by any  typhoon at all. Instead, there was another typhoon that was spotted very far from the Philippines' area of responsibility. But it's already closing in on Taiwan, weather officials said. The Philippines Weather Bureau confirmed in a broadcast invterview that  the heavy do