A rescue volunteer saved a struggling dog from rising floodwaters in Brgy. Rosario in Montalban, Rizal as Typhoon Ulysses battered parts of Luzon on Thursday.
Netizens were touched by a photo of a dog trying hard to stay above water after uploader Meijie Diaz on Facebook vowed to save it from the flood.
“Kapit ka lang, kukunin din kita,” wrote Diaz in a now-viral Facebook post.
After a while, Diaz updated his Facebook post saying the dog was now safe.
“Kinuha ko na din po agad siya. Kaya ko pinost para kung sakaling may makita yung ibang tao na ‘wag mag atubiling tulungan din yung kagaya nila,” he said.
In a private message sent to STAR’s Latestchika.com, Diaz revealed that prior to rescuing the dog, he along with other volunteers already helped rescue other animals and stranded residents in different barangays.
People were forced to climb to rooftops while crying and waiting for help after the typhoon’s torrential rains left homes submerged.
“Mas marami po akong nailigtas na hayop nung madaling araw palang. Ayan malapit lang yan, kaya sabi ko kapit ka lang kasi pagod na ko, kumukuha pa ako ng lakas para makuha siya. Pag post ko, gumawa agad ako ng aksyon at nakuha ko na po siya,” shared Diaz.
He narrated that flood waters rose quickly and reached the third floor of houses around 2 a.m. on Thursday. He first went out to help his uncle before joining the rescue efforts for other victims.
“Wala po naglalakas loob lumusong papuntang highway kasi third floor na nga po yung baha. Inisip ko kelangan may gawin ako, kelangan ko mag-pakita ng tapang para makita din ng ibang tao, tapang na ibayong may pag iingat,” said Diaz.
He continued, “Naghanap po agad ako ng container para gawing salbabida ko at dinala ko susi ko ng motor para makahingi ng tulong at ipagbigay alam sa mga rescue na maraming buhay ang nasa panganib.”
Diaz shared that he encountered some difficulty swimming through floodwaters as there wasn’t any available light to guide his way, not to mention the debris he encountered.
“Nilusong ko na yung baha sa third floor na halos yung ulan sobrang sakit sa balat (dahil) sa mga yerong nagliliparan at nakasalubong ko habang lumalangoy ako. Hindi ko na alintana yung sakit ng ulan sa balat. Ang daming patay na hayop, pusa, aso, ibon. Dami kong natamong sugat.”
He went on to share that the only thing that pushed him to continue what he was doing were the hopeful words coming from stranded residents.
“Nung may nakita akong may mga pamilya sa iba-ibang bahay, may mga sumisigaw, umiiyak, halo-halo na naririnig ko, iisa lang po sinasabi nila sakin, ‘Kuya humingi ka po ng rescue, kuya hanap ka agad ng tulong, ingat ka po kuya,’” said Diaz, “ayan na lang yung mga salitang nagpapalakas sa ‘kin that time.”
Diaz also shared how happy he was to witness the bayanihan spirit alive as other people came to help stranded kababayans get to safety.
“Sobrang napangiti ako kasi tulong-tulong talaga yung bawat tao. Kahit hindi nila kapamilya, mas inuna nila yung mga taong na stranded kesa sa mga gamit nila.”
Diaz, who lost his job during the pandemic, said he shared the dog’s photo in hopes of encouraging others not to hesitate offering help to those who need it.
“Pinost ko hindi para magpa-fame. Pinost ko para kung sakaling makita ng iba yung ginawa ko, hindi silang mag-atubiling gawin yung ginawa ko.”
