Was a song from long ago, sung by Johnny Cash, and the next verse goes; “About two feet high and rising!” This past three weeks in Southern Luzon has been nothing but rain, and then some more rain. I’m fully aware that this is the monsoon season and one should expect to be a little damp.
Once more I’ll gloat about my foresight and the idea I had years ago to live on a mountain instead of a beach while once again living on a tropical island. Once more I’ll mention altitude, and gravity and the principle that; “Water seeks its own level.” My little town of Dinalupihan has received all the water they need, but because it is surrounded by the low land rice fields they are forced into keeping it. The city is now a free public pool. Schools are closed, no one can get to the market, it is a mess and I’m staying home. I do have sympathy for the inhabitants, but since this happens every rainy season, I do wonder why a solution has never been found.
My neighbors with the corrugated roofs are up there every day with tarps, old tires, hollow blocks and sand bags to stop the leaks, but to no avail. The floors are lined with pots and pans and they are empted all day out the front door or used to flush the CR.
Here is what I’ve have observed over these long years residing here and enjoying the easy going lifestyle, when the rain stops, it will be out of sight, out of mind and not a thought about the leaking roof until the next time it rains. You must love the attitude the Filipino’s process. I wish I could develop even a small portion of it. Hell I wish I could fall asleep on a Jeepney, but that will never happen.
Due to my hospitalization back in March, we missed the yearly roof maintaining procedures. To seal the edge of the slab roof with sealing compound, that prevents driving rain from entering the building. So now in mid August I freely admit that for the first time since 1999 our roof is leaking. I’m not talking a deluge or torrents of water pouring in just drips of water that my wife collects with a towel and rings out every few hours. But that is still leaking by any measure. We made the trip to Home Depot in San Fernando Pampanga (On Luzon) and collected all the required materials to stop this problem, but we are into our third week of rain, and there is no end in sight. But if that sun does come out………BTW: The PagAsa recommends we have a spare umbrella and a small rubber raft with us at all times. Oh and those tempted to comment that it’s bright and sunny where you live! Remember your time is coming, and I won’t fail to bring it up.
If you remember I mentioned that during my medical emergency I received 24 pints of blood which altered my normal DNA, and that could be the reason I neglected to have the roof sealed on those sunny days of May and June before the rain really started, so some of that attitude must have kicked in, and I’m regretting it now. Manila is of course already flooded, but they tell me that the Capital will flood if seven people wash their car at the same time.
I‘ll still stick by my slab roof, if it’s maintained properly every year, and that costs (With Labor) about PNP 2,500.00 per year. During one typhoon a few years after we built the house, my roof had eight inches of standing water until I weathered the storm and went outside and cleared the drains. The following month new three inch drains were installed at a cost of PNP 30,000.00, but the problem was solved and I learned something new about owning a house here and now understand that song by Mr. Cash; “How High Is the Water Mama?” Don’t let it get any higher.
They are having fun;-)!!!
EMMANUEL;
My wife went into a store and found me soaking wet when she returned, The reason I was wet is I stopped to watch some children having fun in the rain, They had no I-pads CellPhones just real fun. I wished I was young so I could join them.
We are pretty lucky here in Mindano, but as you say everyone will get their turn. By the way, still waiting for the story about the new railings (teeth) or have I missed it?
John J.
My dentist postponed any further treatment until my medical problems were cleared. So no you’ve missed nothing. I’m sporting the temporaries (Acrylic) I’ve had since January. I want a New York Steak from Texas Joe’s so much I dream about it. I suffer with tenderloin until I get the one I like!
You are right Paul, there is something to be said about living on a hill/mountain side, we look down into the valley and see the floods.
When we bought the house we were told that a bit of water comes down the back lane, it was a fast flowing river. Some idiots laying water pipes had broken the land drain where a lot of the water from the hill collects. Needless to say we got it sorted as quick as we could.
Marjorie;
Our street is the runoff; the kids on a real rainy day will zoom pass my gate on a piece of plywood. Or shower under the drain spouts. There are days when I must phone a friend in town to check the water level prior to driving down the mountain. As I said I lived on the beach in Puerto Rico and learned a valuable lesson on water flow. Stay dry!
Hi Paul,
On my last trip to Bohol, we decided to fly into Manila, which takes more than a day, land about midnight take a 6 am domestic flight to Cebu then ride a boat for 1.5 hours to Bohol. I essentially cannot sleep on an airplane. I had been awake for about 48 hours. After arriving at Mama’s House my wife decided it would be a great idea to take Mama to Gerry’s Grill in town. I made it through the meal, but riding back on one of the short jeepneys that I have to lean forward to keep my head off the ceiling I kept falling asleep and pitching forward head first. Fortunately the other passengers caught me repeatedly. I would not recommend falling asleep on a jeepney.
Peace
Jay
Hi Jay;
I see your point on Jeepney sleeping! When my daughters were young they would snuggle close to me on the Jeepney and go out like a light with daddy’s arm to steady them, but I’m still amazed when I see it happen, my wife has that natural Philippine ability (Which I envy) of instantly falling asleep at home. I love my naps but must read first to get sleepy. Different cultures have different abilities; I’m just amazed by them.
There must be a Gerry’s Grill everywhere in the Philippines; we have a huge one on the beach kiddy corner from Texas’s Joe’s here in Subic.
Hi Paul,
Gerry’s Grill does a good job with Filipino Party Food. They usually have a nice view. The thing I found a little strange is having to pay extra for rice. I mean if you order Pork Adobo, you expect to eat rice with it. You need a starch to cut the greasiness. It seemed odd that rice did not come with the meals.
Peace
Jay
Jay;
No free rice with your meal at a restaurant in the Philippines? That is not only odd, but it seems like a violation of a local ordinance! If you order a hamburger are the fries extra too? Thank you Jay, I’ll warn my wife so there won’t be a commotion when we order there. (LOL)
Tugboats a coming to take to the train, looks like we’ll be blessed with a little more rain. Stay dry.
Loren;
Funny saying!!! But why are they called tug boats when they really only push?
This is a question that requires consumption of Rum & Coke with SMB chasers to really figure out. Someday we will work on it.
Loren;
If you ever get back here we\ll figure it out!!!
Well this one states that the tugs pulled LOL
https://gcaptain.com/salvors-preparing-refloat-attempt-of-grounded-transocean-drilling-rig-in-scotland/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain.com%29
AJ UK;
That is what happens when you tug vice push! (lol)
Paul………..are you back on the SMB?
Keep your pecker up old chap!
AJ/UK;
SMB’s I still can only dream, about those stubby little rascals. Woodpeckers, do they peck or tug? (lol)
Ask the quarter master for 10 fathom of pushing rope.
JohnJ.
Army were you? In the navy a Quartermaster does the ship’s navigation, a Storekeeper would issue you the 40 feet of chow line! (LOL) The Army can also salute without a cover, the Navy can not!
Not so wet here at Toledo city (opposite coast from Cebu)
I have a rainfall gauge and measured 12.5 inches for June. Wet start to the wet season.
Was down to 5 inches for July and so far this month only 1.5 inches!
One thing I have learnt here is that the weather forecasting is terrible. Must be difficult though because unlike Australia the rain comes from any direction here.
There also seems to be no pattern to rainfall totals. One month you can get ten inches and then the next month one inch
Adam;
I warned everyone about bragging about their weather (LOL). But as I mentioned above during May and June we also had very little rain, we are catching up now as your area will very soon, and the farmers need the rain anyway! Stay dry your gully washer rain is coming!
On the bright side, one can go outside to pee and/or poop without worrying about flushing!
Once again, great article and thanks for the pics sir Paul. Please keep dry and healthy!
UpawPhil;
Urinating outside is a drinking thing, and is the reason we say “Tabby, tabby Po” But a number two? You could chant until the caribou come home, and I don’t think that will save you. (LOL) I’ll stay away from those spots where the roof is leaking and I should be fine and dry!
How does Mindanao rain compare to Luzon?
Nothing like it, Byron. The weather here is completely different. What you experienced when you were here is our normal weather pattern. There are no typhoons here in Mindanao, except the extreme north part of the island.
I have always found the weather in Northern Mindanao quite favorable at the times of my visits. Yes it does rain quite heavily on some days in the afternoon but it dosn’t last very long.
Bob (NY)
Every area has pro and cons about their weather. I like that when the rainy season ends you can plan a party a month away and not worry about weather. Cause it ain’t gonna’ get cold either!
Byron;
Basically it is apples and oranges,
Luzon has a rainy
(Monsoon) season mostly May unto November, and the rest of the year we seldom have rain.
Whereas Mindanao has no real monsoon season. But it can rain any day. Both have its advantages, only you can decide which you prefer.
Puerto Rico where I lived for ten years was more like Mindanao which I liked too.
Ah Sir Bob, did you read my response?
Not yet…
Thanks Bob….just rechecking in case I missed something earlier 🙂
I used the “tabby, tabby po” at work at the urinal next to a Philippines friend. He started laughing and wanted to know where I learned that. I’m sorry I didn’t give you credit, I just shrugged my shoulders and told him that I thought everyone knew it.
Also, I know you posted it back a couple years ago, but can you tell me or send me the link to the roof sealing construction article? I need to read it again.
Thanks.
Leroy;
The Filipino’s taught me Tabby Tabby Po, on my first visit here, it stuck in my head. My brothers in Massachusetts use that expression now. As for the roof article It is somewhere in the beginning a few years ago, check the Bob’s archives.
Hi Paul
We could do with a little of your rain here in Davao. I think it’s rained twice in the last month where I live, usually after I have watered the plants and washed the car!!
Cheers
AJ UK
AJ/UK;
There is not much reason to wash the car here, one puddle and you do it again, and I’ll go to a car wash after the sun comes back out. Our rice farmers (My Son-in-Law being one of them) are loving the rain, a good rice crop means new shoes for my granddaughter. Oh hell I’d buy them anyway
Palawan is finally getting ONE good rain right now. This is the first time this year that we are having 20 hrs of non stop rain.
Our dug well was almost empty two days ago. On Saturday I measured 25″ only. That was alarmingly low.
Now we are having a few minor floods along river banks.
Good news so far.
We’ll see what follows.
Living on top of the hill, like we do, is comforting but the problem is the food (rice) is grown in lower areas. Any problems with rice paddies is everyone’s problem.
Palawan Bob;
It is certainly good news that your well is being replenished, my well is 350 feet down and we got lucky and tapped an underground flowing stream, but then they installed city water which is cheaper than pumping the water. My son-in-law owns a 10 hector rice farm, and a 1 hector fish pond, so he is not tired of the rain yet.
Do you have monsoon season in Palawan?
Paul
I would strongly suggest you to have your underground water ready and waiting to be used. Also, buy diesel fuel for your son in law. He’ll need it.
We have a hand dug well. It’s only about 20 feet deep. It has been reliable for the last two years but this year we had very little rain. Yes, we have monsoons here but somehow the rains missed our place and we almost run out of water in the well.
I’ll check the water level next Saturday.
Today I saw a big rat running and looking for a dry spot, he got surprised by all the rain water.
Palawan Bob;
My well and pump system is well maintained in case of any doom befalling Bataan, but if the power supply goes no water flows! I can’t imagine why my Son-in-law Chris would need any extra fuel except what the tank of his new Inova holds! I hope you problem will your well is solved!!
I can’t write here why your son in law will need it, but if you are interested, here is my email.
flemingrobert at hot mail dot com.
Palawan Bob;
If it can’t be divulged on LiP, then you defiantly don’t want me to know about it, I’m as big a security risk as Hillary Clinton! (lol)
I am a political and religious atheist but I do have the greatest respect towards Mrs Clinton and Pope Francis.
Soon, everybody will know why.
Palawan Bob;
If that is not contradicting oneself, then I don’t know what is. Are you on their E-mail list?
Is the site down right now? Can’t get a DNS resolution.
No it is working fine.
DNS error usually is something wrong at your Internet provider.
PLDT…go figure.
My son had his 21st birthday bash in the Gerrys Grill and my wiife will be also this comming October, I keep meaning to scout out Texas Joes, perhaps I’ll get a chance this visit, that’s assuming the water in Dinilupihan has gone down by the time we arrive. They have put in a new bridge just before Liac, don’t know if that has helped as the water that couldn’t get under the old bridge used to run across the road.
Gary;
You can see Texas Joe’s from the parking lot at Gerry’s. The road through Dinalupihan is clear now that the rain subsided for a couple of days. But it will start again! On your son’s 21st birthday was the Barrio closed? (LOL)
What…no comment about Tagaytay? (Just joking) Another great article, Mr. Paul T. Not too much rain here in Bristol County.
Jose;
It’s been silent from Tagaytay, maybe the swelling in his ego went down! (lol) I thought like in Southern California, that it never rained in Bristol County?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI7M2ELPtro
Cee Hubs;
A video that I’ve never seen, thank you!
Hey Paul, It’s 75F and sunny here in Ohio lol.
PapaDuck;
I spent a year in Ohio one weekend, that’s why I moved here (LOL) Do you remember what I said about telling me about your sunny weather? (LOL) What will Ohio be like this November?
Paul,
I don’t know. We’ll be back in the Philippines in Oct lol.
Tornadoes and heavy rains at times this week here in central Indiana. My house didn’t leak, or have any damage but I had a tree broken in front of our house. $475 to clean up the broken branches and get the stump removed. Lots of houses in Kokomo, Indiana were severly damaged or destroyed. Fortunately very few people hurt. The TV stations here are getting pretty good at predicting the travel paths of these tornadoes now, and people do take shelter when warned.
Larry;
Proving that there is no perfect weather anywhere on the planet, you must take the good with the bad. So there really is a place called Kokomo? I thought Bugtussle Arkansas was odd!
My wife did a preemptive tree felling around my house years ago, I had to buy a tent for shade! I’m most pleased that you came out of it so well.
Hi Paul Thompson; I have a home on Palawan but am Stateside at the moment till Sep.01 when we fly, (Flee?) home. Too bad you aren’t closer, I would buy you a beer and try to out lie you! If you are ever on Palawan, let me know; my email is I live on the shore but we never have water in the house though a few times, in heavy weather, we have waves come over the sea wall: fun to watch. I admit we had so much water on the road we couldn’t get out to the main road a few times but good: I didn’t want to go to town anyway: costs too much money.
Bill;
Then you must know Palawan Bob? I lived 10 years in Puerto Rico with no trouble until that one day the 15 foot tidal surge put my house and down the road my nightclub (Plus my car) under water, Mountains are my friend from now on! (LOL) I sometimes get stuck on the mountain when those flatlanders flood and the road gives out. But as I said I had my time on the beach, and want others to enjoy it now.