The Filipino spirit

Advertising man Jimmy Soliman texted me from his home in Lipa City: “Have you read CNN anchor Anderson Cooper's tribute to the Filipinos? Read it, Pare, and crow.”

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I read it in PhilSTAR last Sunday and texted Jim back: “I was tickled pink.” Mr. Cooper marveled at the strength of the Filipinos amid the death and devastation in the wake of super typhoon Yolanda.

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PhilSTAR reporter Paolo Romero wrote that sir Cooper thanked Pinoys for showing the whole world “how to live” amid death and devastation, stressing that the tragedy failed to break the Filipino spirit.

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That's the kind of courage and strength shown by the CCTN Ch. 47 field reporters who braved Yolanda's wrath in living up to their commitment to serve the community they love so well.

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And so in my own little way I want to pay tribute for what it is worth to these brave CCTN field reporters: Dennis Tabar and Chris Ligan whom I have the pleasure of knowing in person: Astra Zina Logarta, Jonalyn Jumabes, Fe Mari Dumaboc, Dise May Padilla and Arnold Bustamante. (I might have spelled some names incorrectly but that doesn't diminish my high regard for them.)

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Got this e-mail from Greg Orleans: “Guess who're happy Yolanda came and hit us real bad? I'll tell you who. They're those who're involved in the pork barrel scam, from whom the super typhoon stole the thunder.”  (Thank you, sir Greg. -- JVJ)

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I have Cebuano friends in the US (many of them retired journalists) who say they are stopped in the streets by Americans, who, knowing they're Pinoys, express their sympathy for the tragedy that has hit Phl.

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There are many stories to tell about the devastation that hit Tacloban. One priest from Cebu said on the day Yolanda struck he was scheduled to marry a pair of “amansebados” (live-in couple) in a church outside the city. The church was wiped out. But the couple insisted they had to get married even in front of the demolished church where only a big wooden cross stood. “Basi’g mamatay na mi, may na lang kagrasyahan sa Ginoo nigsud namo sa tinuoray nga langit," the husband said.

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The priest joked: “Tagbaw na man sila sa dili tinuoray nga langit dinhi sa yuta.” So they were married amid the debris of the wiped out church.

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OVERHEARD: A Caucasian tourist having dinner in the restaurant of a posh hotel tipped the waiter serving him with quite a substantial sum. Said a fellow waiter: “Nagdahum tingali ang Kano nga biktima ka sa bagyo.”  The waiter said: “Bitaw. Ihatag ko ni sa among simbahan.” The second waiter said: “Ayaw hutda. Salinig para kaon-kaon ta.”