I know that each person who lives in Negros - Cebu region has a story to tell.
 
Mine…well, I could say that I can handle the situation with no trouble since I’ve been seeing this in Movies. But what makes me mortify was the experience itself. That was the first time that I experienced such a strong earthquake. Around 11:49 am, while I was watching Madonna’s Performance in Halftime Super Bowl XLVI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROkhklj0ZGs), my room started shaking. I thought that there was a huge truck passed by, but the time that my stuff were falling, then the electricity was cut off, and I’d heard that people outside were screaming, I got out from my room swiftly and found out that it was really an earthquake. It lasted less than a minute but the effect was too much distress.
 
Then, I kept on checking updates from online news. As per USGS, that was a 6.9-magnitude earthquake. What a strong earthquake. One hour later, PHIVOLCS had released a TSUNAMI ALERT #2 for coastal areas of Negros and Cebu! It caused mass hysteria now.
 
My shift will start at 3:30 in the afternoon. Since I live few blocks from our office, traffic is the least of my concern. When I was in the main road, people were running, people and vehicles crowded the streets, racing to reach higher ground as rumors of an incoming tsunami spread, People screaming and running for their lives. If you were a fan of THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW and INDEPENDENCE DAY, the scenes were very alike, terrifying to see. The government sent a warning about a tsunami. Everyone knew that it is impossible to have one but fabricated info was spread and everyone panicked. Local television networks never tried to at least broadcast on what’s really happening. People relied on broadcasts through social networking sites only. Some took advantage of the situation and gave out false news to scare people therefore causing chaos and panic.
 
When I arrived in our building, I barely saw people.  When I was on the fifth floor, I was alone. Then, the OMD Analyst arrived and asked me if what I was doing in the office. I answered that I was there because my shift would start at 3:30 pm. Then she said that people were gone because a tsunami will hit Cebu. I decided to go home but she stopped me because she needed to verify from our Client if it was okay for me to go home. Unfortunately, the Client said that BAU.
OMG!
 
I can believe that it was really happening. I was in there, taking calls, alone. Think of this, an office filled with super busy of hundreds of agents every day, but at that moment, I was answering calls, alone and paranoid. I was thinking, what I was thinking really at that time…I don’t know. Honestly, I was out-of-focus. Physically, I was taking calls, hearing the customers lamenting their issues, but my mind was outside, I kept on looking on my screen, checking updates from Yahoo News and Tweeter Updates.
 
Then, around 5:30 in the afternoon, the Operations AT&T 22-State Director arrived, she really went to my station. She asked if I am okay. Physically I was, but mentally, I was not. She thanked me for being diligent. I was happy because my boss appreciated my effort but still, I cannot believe that I was in there while others were packing up their stuff already.
 
Around 6:10 pm, it happened again, a 6.2-M earthquake. I was taking call literally, my customer was so irate. I was totally scared because I was alone. What I am gonna do. Then, the Security Team and the Director approached me, advised me to end the call ASAP, and informed the customer that there is an earthquake and I need to evacuate the building. That was really thrilling. Right away, I spilled it out and the outcome, the mad customer had become a very nice person; he even said that I have to take care.
 
We evacuated the building after the trembling. We waited outside and after an hour, we went back to our building. This time, I had a company already, my teammate. We were about to take calls when it struck again, a 6.0-M earthquake. Again, we went down and waited for an hour. Everyone wanted to go home but the Management didn’t want us to leave or else, a Memo is waiting for us. So, we waited patiently outside. People were trying to make contact with their families and friends, but they couldn’t because all Networks were unavailable. An hour after that, BAU again. When we were in our Office, the Senior Account Manager arrived and again went to our Stations and asked me if I was okay, again, I answered her I was okay because if I would answer no, what else she can do, it happened already. Shit Happens.
 
Luckily, aftershocks were gone. But the effect was unforgettable. There was a never-ending story of each person who experienced this Terrible Earthquake in Cebu. Everyone was praying for protection. Even Foreigners were wishing that all people would be safe. But the saddest part is, a Filipina, Ahcee Flores, was praying for the extinction of Visayan People. In times of difficulty, our humanity must compel us to help one another. Even we speak Visaya and you people who live in the North speak Tagalok, but still, we are the same, FILIPINOS. LET US BE MORE HUMAN… AND FEEL THIS TRAGEDY. RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON THE NEGATIVES WHICH WILL NOT HELP AT ALL.
 
It was indeed a very long day for me. But I am thankful that I am still alive and safe.
 
Ooops, I texted my Mom and she just replied, get out from that building and go back here in Davao.