The Emergency came before the Fund was gathered!

It's been almost two (2) months since I last wrote on my financial literacy blog. So many things happened, so many learnings learned, some good things and some not so good things. Often times I relate and connect the dots to what I write to how things happened in my life. There was this topic I wrote which I remembered after a tragedy came to our family and it was about "Emergency Fund".

It's really important to have emergency fund, but in my case; when I was about to gather it, tragedy came.

Last December 9, 2011 (Friday) a fire emerge at Magallanes Street. Let me share you my story a few days before the accident happened.

December 7, 2011 (Wednesday) 2-days before the incident, we (glamourshots crew) travelled to Seagull Mountain Resort (Buda) for a wedding shoot. My boss told us to travel in the afternnoon so we'll have enough time and rest because the wedding would be on the 8th. So I packed up my gears and the clothes I need for the shoot and a few "pambahay" for sleeping. Since Buda is in a high altitude place, i brought my jogging pants and jacket. I have 2-bags with me (gears and clothes).

December 8, 2011 (Thursday) 1-day before the incident, the wedding preparation is about to start, it's early in the morning and we're heading where the couple is staying. That day had a very nice weather, sunny yet the cool breeze of air is felt. We worked starting from the preparation until the end of reception. Since we are scheduled to leave Buda before it gets dark (foggy road path) we sent our goodbyes to the couple and head back to Davao.


We arrived at my boss' office about 6-o'clock in the evening, we backed-up the files and talk for a while with the whole crew, I arrived home about 7-o'clock in the evening. Tired and a bit hungry; I got a plate and had a dinner on the table where my mom is also sitting beside me. I told her about some of my plans regarding my room, I wanted to fix a few things and improve it a bit. We're also talking about some plans for Christmas and New Year since it's heading fast. We shared a few laughs and ideas. After the dinner, I sit in front of the TV and told myself that I would give myself a break and will not open my computer for that night. I put my bags (gears and clothes) on the other chair and watch some telenovela on the TV. It didn't came to my mind that I will clean and arrange my gears and put my clothes to my laundry basket. I wanted to be lazy that night. When I was a bit sleepy; maybe due to almost 2 and a half hours of travel and exhausted on the shoot, I told myself when I'm about to hit the sack "I'll wake-up late tomorrow". So I went to bed, if I'm not mistaken that's still about 10-o'clock in the evening.

December 9, 2011 (Friday) - 9:15am in the morning I heared someone shout and I felt a commotion around the area. It's my instinct to head up straight; I didn't even look at my window and directly went downstairs. I saw my dad rolling down the garden hose and told me to  help him connect to the faucet. I already had an idea that there was a fire nearby, how near that I still don't know. I was helping my dad connecting the end of the garden hose to the faucet, I had difficulty since I was still about 75% awake, I saw my dad coming in from our small gate and fetch my nephew, he told me to tell my mom, sister and her fiance to get out of the house. In my mind, "OK, if that's the case I will look for myself how big the fire is so I can estimate and prioritize what things needed to be carried out." I went outside and was shocked, at first I don't see any smoke but when I wen't out the glazing fire was so huge that people are already running in different directions. Our neighbors are carrying pails with full of water in it and throwing it to the burning house. That burning house is not the source of fire, it's the house in front of the source of fire. I was wondering how come the fire is already eating the 2nd house when it's still a few minutes since I heard the commotion. Our house is situated 3rd from the start of fire. I cleared my mind and got inside the house. I went directly to our living room and got one of my empty bag, I rushed to my room as my sister is assisting my mom; i told my mom "what ever your hands can hold, hold it and get out, we can't escape if we will try to save things". My sister's fiance is pulling out the two (2) motorcycles (his and my brother's). In my room, I secured our Laundry Shop's money and documents and my mobile phones. It's really true that even how focus you are in times of emergency some things are most likely to be missed out, because my personal cash even just a few inches away from the laundry money, it was left out. I went down as fast as I could so I could get my other bags (gears and some clothes - from the wedding shoot) - to my surprise my mom locked the huge sliding steel entrance door to our living room. - Part of our house is a solid concrete storage room "bodega" from my late lolo who had a store in the public market. I went outside to find my sister and mom because they have the key to that huge sliding steel door. I can feel my adrenaline is starting to pump and my sister called me. I gave her my bag, and asked for the key. My mom is hesitant for me to get there because the fire is already starting to eat up the house beside ours. I told my mom, "my gears are in there, it's my only source of income and I have invested a lot of resources on those items, please give me the key." She gave me the key and without hesitation, I went back into the house and opened the huge steel sliding door and picked up my bags. Since I only have two hands, I grab one bag on my left and the other on my right. I didn't let myself see other things because it might caught my attention and will try to save those things. If that will cross my mind I will spend time saving it and it can be the reason I will be trapped and be burned alive. And besides I told my mom that I will only get my gears and whatever my hands can carry, I will not try to be a hero. So after I got my bags, I closed and locked the steel sliding door and rushed to get out. As I walked the pathway to get out I can really feel  the heat of the fire trying to cross from the second house to ours. I tried to convince my mom that I will go back once more, but when I got near the entrance pathway, it's so hot that nobody can enter anymore. So I decided to go back where my mom and sister is staying. We are watching the fire a few meters away engulfing the house next to ours and i'm telling my mom that we must move away. I sensed that there will be no hope because I know the road is not enough for fire trucks to enter. I wanted to ensure that my mom is safe, our family is safe because the more we stay to see what's happenning the more pain my parents will feel and since they are old to handle those kind of stress, so we went away.

We walked to exit at Bolton street, still we can see the huge black smoke and occasionally hear explosion due to some LPG tanks. Fire trucks are coming in every now and then, some are still refilling their reservoir from the nearby fire hydrants. So much people gathering besides the street, most of them are placing their belongings outside incase the fire will not be controlled soon, they have the chance to save those valuables. My dad is eager to get back and see the situation, but I'm hesitant because it's difficult for contact and we don't have enough cellphones saved to be in contact. We can't afford to be uncertain in those kind of situation that's why I wanted for us all to be intact. But my dad is also insisting that it will be OK and he'll be safe. We stayed to a shade so my mom could rest, I went for the nearest store so i could buy my mom bottled water, when I got back my dad is not there. My mom told me that he wanted to see how things are on the other side, near City Health Office. Me and my sister's fiance went there and look for dad because we don't know what's in his mind. He might be stressed by the negative emotions, he might push himself inside, he might do things we really can't imagine so to prevent that we look for my dad and let my sister accompany my mom for the mean time. We went back and forth, a few times and my dad is nowhere to be found. I felt anger that time because I don't want anything bad to happen but still he decided to be separated from us. GGGRRRR.

After almost 2-hours of raging fire, the fireman declared under control. They won't allow residents to go inside the area because there might be debris to fall or walls to breakdown. the area are still filled with white smoke and you can still feel the heat around. There are still small burning wood around but those are already controlled because the wood are already wet. My brother who went directly from his work to our area, secured the place because there are a lot of speculators who are trying to salvage scrap metals from the burning houses. Me and my sister's fiance assisted my brother. I informed my girlfriend on what happen and she's doubtful and thinking I'm only kidding her. She left her work a few hours to assist me, bought some bottled water and few things we needed for the night.

It's really painful to see something you don't imagine very often. I see reports on the news, photos on the web and even hear stories from fire victims but it's really different when you're the victim. They always say "it's better to be robbed than being a fire victim". Yes, that's really true. Everything was turned down to ash in a few minutes when we worked for it for years. My heart was crushed when my dad is talking to his sister and I overheard him saying "everything I worked for almost 35 years was gone, nothing left". On the other hand, I still thank GOD no one was hurt in our family. I told myself that everything I have lost, money, clothes, equipments, computers and other documents can still be recovered in time but if something bad happened to us, it would be a greater loss for all of us.

I was contacted by my friends who have heared the news, they ask how I was doing and ask what do we urgently need. Since there are a lot in our minds, we can't dictate what we urgently need. Some shows their sympathy with inspiring words and text message, I thank your for that. Some told me I don't have to worry and I can ask help anytime. I really am thankful that friends are really there to support in times of emergency and shortcomings. I am truly grateful for you guys.

If you're reading this, then you know part of the whole thing that has happened to me and my family last December 9, 2011. Try to imagine how we celebrated our Christmas and New Year. We had a very simple and hopeful celebration, inspite of the tragedy we're still together and we're sharing the prepared grace in-front of us. We only have a flash-light as our light source and a few "lampara" on the sides, it's like having a candle light dinner with the whole family.

We are extending our gratitudes to the people who showed their support by giving us some of their used clothes, monetary aid and morally support us through. To my aunts and uncles who shared some blessings, to the city government for the financial and lumber assistance, to my elementary batchmates who once in a while give support. I don't have much to offer right now but my utmost "Thank You".

My urge to teach financial literacy to other people got even stronger because of what happened to us. I can simply say it because I experienced it. The need for Emergency Fund is really essential on times like this, but it so happened that Emergecy got me first before I got the Fund. Right now, as of writing I'm going back to square one, working my way up. With the help of our GOD almighty, with my family and friends' support, we are recovering one step at a time.

If you feel you wanted to help me, and my family I'm leaving my details so you can send anything you think can help us. We appreciate every help we got from different people. Please do leave a comment or info so I can send my "thank you" personally in a way I can right now.

James Lloyd J. Clavel
123-4 Magallanes Street, Riverside Brgy 1-A
Davao City, 8000 Philippines

James Lloyd J. Clavel
Bank: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
Bank Acct #: 8099-0284-68
Branch: Abreeza Mall, Davao City

"Bodega"

Another help you can give is you can refer me to anyone you know that I could be of service with like computer repairs (locally), web development (online), and others that I am confident I can work it out, I would be grateful as this will help me gather my funds to replace my equipments and start working again to help my family. Thank you very much for all your support, help and prayers. In GOD's time we will be on our feet again. I don't have any personal computer as of now, and I have limited time access for internet. You can contact me directly at my mobile number (+63.921.311.7200 - Smart) if you have any concern.

Thank You all and have a blessed week ahead!