In just six hours, Ondoy dumped an unprecedented volume of rainwater on Metro Manila and adjacent provinces. When Ondoy hit, women in Purok Sais suffered the brunt of the disaster as their husbands were at work. Over the years, however, the local government of Marikina City has taken steps to ensure that its disaster preparedness and response would be more gender-sensitive. Learning from the lessons of Ondoy and succeeding calamities, the city also now provides psychosocial support for survivors, Fernando said. Despite these challenges, Cencil has found strength through the group of women survivors in Purok Sais.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 29, 2019 19:52 UTC