In my part of town, right smack in the epicenter of Manila, in the middle of the Sampaloc and Sta. Cruz districts, the rain started to fall in earnest at around 4pm on Monday.

It's now 10pm on Wednesday as I'm typing this, over two days later, and for almost 90% of those past 54 hours, rain was pouring incessantly. This unnamed, anonymous monsoon proved to be almost as devious, dangerous, and nearly as devastating as the powerful Ondoy in September 2009.

But there's one thing that, once again, the Filipinos proved. We're really unsinkable. Floods may rise, rains may pour, but our character and our indefatigable humor survives.



I was off Facebook for a day and a half, and when I logged back in, I was amazed not at the photos of the calamity, but at the images of hope, messages of strength and support, and the spontaneous gestures of generosity.



Know What's Going On, even while on the go --- Download the free Juice.ph Mobile App for iPhone and Android now!


The skies over most of the National Capitol Region and the adjacent provinces looked like this, but on the ground, the photos and videos showed a much more resilient force: the Pinoy's will.



From Bacoor, Cavite: a man who really needed his Magnum fix.



Right outside the Manila City Hall, a pedicab driver makes sure his passenger gets to her destination.



Nearby, at the junction of Recto and the road to Quiapo, future Olympians in Synchronized Swimming and Water Polo.



When there's no electricity, no Internet, no cable, no radio, TV, and DVD? Well, the best thing to do is drink your woes away with some soul-warming brandy.



And for those brave hearts who really need to get to their destination? There's a new uniform of choice, suitable for braving the sunken city streets!




Did your house or building sustain damage from the floods? EYP gives you some helpful tips on repairs and improvements.


Habagat, typhoon, floods --- we're going to survive. We always do. That's who we are, after all.

The only thing that may not survive? Today's children may never fall in love with rain the way I did as a kid; rain drops are now indications of danger in the air and flooding coming, rather than the joyful, carefree cues to go out and play under the rain...



Juice Recommends:

Juice Musika at Kultura: The many facets of culture
Rain, Rain, Go Away, Help is on the Way!