Marikina holds fluvial parade for 'Ondoy' victims

MANILA, Philippines – Marikina City, one of the hardest hit by typhoon “Ondoy” last year, marked yesterday the first anniversary of the tragedy with a fluvial parade.

Around 1,000 people perished and billions of pesos worth of property were destroyed when Ondoy brought a month’s worth of rain to parts of Luzon on Sept. 26, 2009.

In Marikina City, Antipolo City Bishop Francisco de Leon and two Chinese priests presided over a requiem Mass for those who died in the flood. Among those in attendance was Marikina City Mayor Del de Guzman.

With their patroness, Our Lady of the Abandoned, the Marikeños embarked on a fluvial parade at the Marikina and Tumana rivers, praying that the Ondoy tragedy would not happen again.

De Guzman said at least 300,000 residents were affected since 70 percent of the city was under 23 feet of floodwater. He added that 1,652 businesses were affected, including local shoe manufacturers.