The Story of the Filipino: Heroes of Disaster

It's no secret that the Filipino people have long taken pride in their ability to

overcome any disaster or calamity that may have come into their lives. Resilient.
That's how we often describe ourselves. But possessing the ability to bounce back
quickly from adversity while also lending a helping hand and showing compassion
to others is something everyone should strive for. And this is what the story of our
kababayans in Batangas during the eruption of Taal volcano exemplifies - amid
the devastating event, selfless individuals surfaced to extend their help and
became heroes themselves.

Rosalina Mantuano, one of the featured individuals in the said documentary, has
candidly narrated her own experiences during the eruption and her inspiring act of
goodwill for her fellow kababayans severely affected by the disaster. Nanay
Rosalina couldn't deny her worries about their situation when the smallest active
volcano in the world began to spew an ash cloud kilometers into the sky. Along with
her neighbor, they've attested that it was their first time witnessing the Taal volcano
in its aggressive behavior. Fortunately, they were far enough from the approximate
danger zone of the volcano, and they've only experienced minimal impacts from its
ravages. However, the situation of their other kababayans was not as fortunate as
theirs. Many people in the surrounding areas are affected by the sulfur-scented
thick, chemical, and heavy air. Localities in the vicinity had been completely
enveloped in a menacing shade of grey. Volcanic ash blankets everything in its
path, including roads, farms, houses, and entire villages, all of which are scrambling
to stay safe. With that, Nanay Rosalina became determined to help her fellows in
any she could. And since she could not make it financially, she thought of a way
where she could provide something by just merely using her skills - sewing. Nanay
Rosalina used all her leftover fabrics from the past uniforms and costumes she had
made before and turned them into facemasks - right what they need, with all the
volcanic ash smoke imposing severe threats to their health. Every day she creates
bundles of facemasks to be freely distributed to the affected people in the
evacuation centers along with her children's repacked goods. Many got inspired
by her mission and tried to assist as well by donating more fabrics she could sew.
Aside from the facemasks, Nanay Rosalina is thoughtful enough and made
pillowcases for the evacuees to wear over their clothes and use as a cushion. Even
in her simple ways, Nanay Rosalina was able to extend her help and support to
many people.

Another individual who showed extraordinary heroism during the disastrous event
was Reynillyn Cordero, a businesswoman from Lemery, Batangas. Along with her
family, Reynillyn assisted the people from nearby places who direly needed their
help and had let them stay in their humble home. More than a hundred individuals
were able to find their comforts in the Coderos' compound - a place where they
could stay and sleep while recovering from the ravages of Taal. At first, the
Corderos were still hesitant to support the evacuees' everyday necessities - from
the food to their clothing and sanitation. But fortunately, they were able to continue
their mission - they provided enough for the evacuees through collective effort and
determination as they were able to collect help from all their connections and
friends. Donations flooded the compound as soon as their other kababayans
learned about their situation. Reynillyn had said that while lending a helping hand
to others, a difficulty may always arise, but she assured that they would all work
hard together to overcome whatever challenge it may be.

"Not every hero wears a mask. Some heroes save the day in the simplest ways," a
famous quote from Barry Allen. Rosalina and the Cordero family have proven that
we can all be heroes ourselves through being brave in times of difficulties, taking a
stand for our fellows in need, and inspiring others by our good deeds. As Filipinos
continuously encounter the strongest calamities through time, our spirit of resiliency
and Bayanihan always prevails over any adversity.