Our blog is a Finalist in the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards! Carlo and I are immensely PROUD!
We would have celebrated this with a dozen stories by now.
Except that Carlo’s home was devastated by typhoon Ondoy, which flooded great swathes of Manila last September 26.
The whole house was completely submerged in floodwater and mud, above the roof line. In four days we cleared nearly 120 cubic meters of mud and debris from the house.
Nearly everything is gone — laptops, passports, school records, favorite books, old treasured pictures, childhood mementos, school medals and diplomas, and the dog, who either drowned or was lost in the flood.
Carlo, David and Julio have not lost as much as others. Over 270 people died. The typhoon dumped an entire month’s worth of rain in a single day.
Over 250,000 of our countrymen, 48,000 households, are homeless tonight. Carlo and his brothers are wearing borrowed clothes and shoes, and have no permanent address for now.
And they are the lucky ones.
So we will be back, with funny stories of swimming the floodwaters and hitching a ride on a boat, cleaning up the mess, and learning to treasure what is left.
Please scroll down and read our past flying stories. There are over a hundred of them!
As we wait with bated breath for the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards!! 
Posted from Manila, October 1, 2009.
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I read through your account of the flood damage — but I also clicked on the links of Gino and Julio. And all I can say is that you are a very lucky man Tonet, having three amazing sons.
Hi Rick,
Yes I do feel very lucky.
You know many times I’ve had to scold them, when they were kids? Twice for Carlo and once for Julio. That’s it. (I was a fervent believer in “The One Minute Scolding, and I swear it truly worked.)
I’m not a perfect Dad — far from it, but I do spend all the time I can with them. I stopped telling them what to do when they were 15 or so. I’d tell them all I can do now is give advice. It’s truly scary to let go like that, but what can I can do? They’re extremely intelligent, and will listen best if I make sense. It’s a challenge as well as a blessing.
I miss them a lot, living abroad like this. And I am in Manila twice or thrice a month. I can imagine what it must be like for those truly living apart.
We worked together these past three days to dig their house of of the muck. I enjoyed being there and was sad to go back to Bangkok this evening.
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Thanks for dropping by my blog. I was supposed to comment because I am a huge fan now but then I lost track of time, reading your amazing posts. You two write beautifully. With great humor, too, yes.
Sir Tonet, if you’re still giving away the Brad Pitt half of that Mr. & Mrs. Smith poster you have, I would be willing to give it a loving home.
Have fun at the Philippine Blog Awards! (I assume that’s where you are at the moment.)
Hi Meream! Thanks for visiting Flying in Crosswinds
The Mr. Smith half of the poster hangs in the bathroom of a special person, so you were beaten to it. I have to admit, you were the only one to ask me for it. If ever I see another one (I got it at the Esplanade Theater in Singapore), you will have the right of first refusal
Yes, we were at the Awards Night, last night. We didn’t win, but we had a barrelful of fun.
Thanks for visiting, and PLEASE don’t call me Sir! “Tonet” is fine. You can call Carlo The Other Captain Rivera lol
Wow that’s a bummer about the kids’ house.
Flood damage is so devastating too. We have a huge flood here in Bris about every 30 years & we’re overdue now because the last one was in 1974. People still talk about the 74 floods here & how it took so long to get things straightened out again.
If there’s one thing to shine a light on this it is the Filipino spirit. The most beautiful people on this earth!
Take care mate, hope we can catch up in Jan. I’m in KL in a week for the weekend to see Ducati win the Sepang MotoGP.
Dave.
You guys should win the Awards next year!
I’m a great fan. You’re an inspiration.
Many thanks, Egz. We do feel like winners, because readers like you give us an ‘award’ every time you post a comment.
Visit often! We have been busy recently, but we have stories coming up about flying in the Philippines … and France!
,..] tonetcarlo.wordpress.com is another useful source on this topic,..]