Landtrip Badtrip

It was January 3, 2009, Saturday, past 8:00 am when our vehicle stopped at the demoted Philtranco bus terminal just outside the new Tacloban bus terminal in Abucay, Tacloban City, Leyte. The bus with body no. 728 which is bound for Cubao/Pasay was already there waiting for me and my sister as well as other passengers. The bus was in Maasin earlier and was just in Tacloban City for passenger pick-up. It was almost 9:00 am when the bus left the terminal.

Passing through the San Juanico Bridge during the trip really brings pride to me as a 100% Waray.

We arrived in Catbalogan City, Western Samar around 11:00 am and had our meal stop there. We were in Calbayog City, Northern Samar by 2:00 pm to pick up passengers. At around 4:00 pm we were already in Allen Ferry Terminal waiting for our schedule when it was announced that the ferry trips were canceled due to coast guard’s not giving clearance based on the PAGASA’s weather advisory that the area is on Typhoon Signal no. 1. In short, “ASA KA PA”.

We had our dinner in a local restaurant because the carinderias around the terminal were already having food shortage due to that almost 30 buses, including our bus, were stranded there. Though it was expensive, it was worth it because they have a television showing “My Big Love” on Cinema One which delighted my sister who is a Sam Milby fan.

We spent most of that night inside the bus enjoying the intermittent turning on and off of the air conditioner and the limited sitting space we have.

The whole day of Sunday was no different, except we are now feeling the “Survivor” instinct wherein there is no clean lavatory and food scarcity is evident. There were hearsays that the local DSWD was giving out relief goods to stranded passengers. It was confirmed when our bus conductor asked us to sign a form but unfortunately, we never received any.

Our hope floats when a ferry from Matnog, Sorsogon arrived at the Allen port around 8:00 pm. It was around 1:00 am of Monday when it was confirmed that it is the same ferry that we be taking. We immediately fell in line to pay for the insurance, terminal fee, and regulatory fee. In our dismayed, we were like “mga basang sisiw” waiting at the entrance of the ferry waiting for our bus conductor who is the one in charge of distributing the ferry tickets to us passengers.

It gotten worse when we are able to go up the passenger deck of the ferry and there’s no more available seats and some seats are used by passengers to sleep on like it is their own bed.

After 2 hours of crossing troubled waters which really gears me up to panic mode always, we have reached Matnog. Upon riding on the bus, it was found out that 1 passenger wasn’t able to ride the ferry with us, another point against the bus conductor.

We had a stop-over at the Iriga City, Albay terminal around 8:00 am since the bus driver noticed the problem with the “busina”. The mechanic on duty diligently worked on it while the passengers went on lavatory and cigarette break.

In Calauag, Quezon we had our meal stop at 11:00 am.

Upon reaching Gumaca, Quezon, the bus engine overheated. After attempting to cool down the engine by means of water bombarding, both the bus driver and bus conductor decided not go on driving the bus and we had no choice but to stay at the meal stop in Gumaca, Quezon waiting for rescue. After few minutes, a Philtranco Bus passed through us and stopped. The bus has available seats for 10 more passengers. I immediately grabbed our bags and told my sister to follow me. I was already waiting in line for transfer when I noticed that my sister is not going down. I went up and she told me that she was told by the bus conductor that only those with light or hand carry baggages can transfer. She was thinking of the two boxes that are on the cargo deck of the bus.

I got furious and frustrated because that delay caused us to loose the spot to transfer.

We had our dinner there and I’m still pissed at my sister when the bus driver informed us that there are 3 buses coming from Daet, CamSur around 11:00 pm. Some of our co-passenger just opted to take other buses and just have their ticket refunded upon reaching Manila. Me and my sister had our hope ups and waited for the said buses.

It was past 11:00 pm when buses bound for Cubao/Pasay, one after the other, started parking in front of the meal stop. Each bus was asked if they can still accommodate extra passengers, but all buses are full.

I’m really upset, especially what happen earlier when we could have been transferred but because my sister was naïve, we lost that opportunity.

I was shocked when the next set of buses came and my sister immediately approached the bus drivers and asks them if we can sit in the aisle using the boxes that we have. I was touched with the effort my sister showed. It was almost 1:00 am of Tuesday when the bus we are on left Gumaca, Quezon. Even though our condition was quite similar to refugees, it was better than getting stuck in oblivion.

It was around 4:00 am when we arrive in Cubao terminal where we are fetched by our uncle. That’s the time when I felt the exhaustion of the past 3 days of travel via land trip.

Though what we have been through can be considered as one of the worst, for me, seeing my sister mature is one of the best!