CLARK FREEPORT – It was already 11:30 p.m. when the newly-opened Starbucks branch at SM City Clark here closed for the day last Friday.
Barista Erwin Alamares, 28, said his wife Tin and their four-year old daughter were waiting for him at the store.
It was an ordinary routine for his family, he said. But as soon as they got into their vehicle and headed home, the winds suddenly picked up and the ordinary turned into a nightmare, Alamares said. “I was aware of the typhoon (Santi) but since it was only Signal No. 2, I never gave it much thought,” he said.
“That’s why we were surprised when we were suddenly caught by fierce winds while on our way home to Xevera Mabalacat,” he added.
Alamares and his family were on board their Toyota Rav 4 SUV. He said as soon as they left the store, he traversed the MacArthur Highway and entered the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) through Dau and exited it in Sta. Ines to Xevera.
He said despite strong winds pummelling his SUV, he moved on. But he said he could no longer proceed along the MacArthur Highway because of fallen debris so he decided to try the inner road in Barangay San Joaquin.
Alamares said their way was blocked by fallen trees as he again entered the MacArthur Highway from Barangay Dolores near the Subic-Clark- Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx). Xevera Mabalacat is located just a few more meters across the bridge from the SCTEx interchange in the village.
“It was too dark and the wind was howling fiercely. We could not find our way amid the fallen trees so we decided to turn back,” he recalled. Alamares said they have a relative in Barangay Camachiles and decided to go there instead. But the highway was already littered with all kinds of debrismaking if difficult even for their 4×4 SUV to negotiate.
Taking the route they took in going back, he said they reached the MacArthur Highway in Barangay Mabiga where they were fi nally stranded. “We could not go back because a tree was already blocking the road and we could not move forward because big trees were lying on the road,” he said. “We could not call anyone for help because there was no cellphone signal,” he said.
“I tried not to lose my presence of mind,” he said, “because if I panicked my wife might break down.” At this point, he said they were already praying as his wife was already crying and clinging to their daughter who was sound asleep to our amazement, he said.
Finally, Alamares said he saw a clearing on the road shoulder that was beyond reach of any tree and parked hi vehicle there.
“It was there in a small dark clearing that we spent the night cuddled together inside our vehicle and praying for our safety” he said. “It was already 6 a.m. the next day when we tried to look for a way out. The wind had died down and it was clear” he said.
Alamares said his SUV suffered several big scratches from the debris that hit it especially the bumper. But he said he thanked God that his family survived the ordeal. “It was an experience that we will never forget,” he said.
