Glenda and Rak Of Aegis

Barangay Venezia is flooded for three months. This was not always so, only until a subdivision was built near it, turning the barangay into a catch basin whenever it rained.

Because of this, people lost their livelihood — shoemaking. To make ends meet, the residents try to find whatever means they could, from being a promo girl, a shoe designer to aspiring to become a YouTube sensation.

I came across Barangay Venezia not in one of our Lingkod Kapamilya coverages but in the halls of PETA in Quezon City. PETA was able to transform their hall into Barangay Venezia — an urban poor community — complete with baha, pouring rain and flowers blooming from the ground for the musical Rak Of Aegis. The show depicts many of the issues that the less-fortunate have to deal with every single day. The production of Rak Of Aegis did a good job in presenting it in entertaining manner. You’ll end up crying for sure — out of joy and empathy for the characters. It gives us all an opportunity to relate and see the plight of others in society.

The stark contrast on how the rich and the poor cope with challenges was seen with the power outage caused by Typhoon Glenda.

The rich and the middle class went to the malls to have dinner with their family because it was too uncomfortable to stay at home. The more affluent ones had their own generator sets. Many checked in at hotels while others stayed in their air-conditioned cars while charging their mobile devices.

The less fortunate affected by Glenda in Bicol went to evacuation centers during height of the storm, partaking of water until the deluge was over.

While others were impatiently waiting for power and cable TV to be restored, others were figuring out how to rebuild their homes, with no money and livelihood.

Many of us are so caught up with our discomfort that we forget that others are in a far worse situation.

I visited Camarines Sur, Legazpi and Sorsogon over the weekend. The damage caused by Typhoon Glenda was immense. Trees, electrical posts and houses were razed to the ground. In Albay, there were no casualties despite the damage in infrastructure. I have witnessed Bicolandia’s resilience and preparedness. Nonetheless, they still need our help. Those who help themselves should not be ignored.

I hope that donors and big NGOs will look at Bicol with kind hearts. They need construction materials for them to rebuild.

Meanwhile, for those interested to watch Rak Of Aegis, call 899-8089, 0919-9114444 or TicketWorld at 819-9999. You can catch it until the end of August. Isay Alvarez and Robert Seña will be in the July 19 and Aug 2. Shows. Get a peek of the Pinoy resilience and happy spirit.

(E-mail me at [email protected].)