How Bayani Fernando Helped in Rebuilding Marikina After Typhoon Ondoy

Tropical storm Ondoy (international name, Ketsana), delivered a record 448.5 mm (17.6 inches) of rain that fell on Metro Manila between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM local time on September 26, 2009, more than a month’s worth of average rainfall for the area and nearly double the 200-305 mm dumped by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana in the U.S. in 2005. The torrential rains caused a very drastic meter rise in water level of the Marikina river and swelling of creeks all over Metro Manila. The consequent floods brought large portions of a mega city of over 11 million citizens to a virtual standstill and was responsible for the 465 deaths in Metro Manila and damages amounting to Php10.9 billion. In the 12 hours of continuous rainfall, floodwaters rose from waist level to about two-storey high in many different areas in Luzon, especially within Metro Manila. Entire streets in Antipolo, Cainta, Quezon, Makati, Malabon, Manila, Marikina, Montalban, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, San Mateo, Taguig, and