Tragedy has stricken again in the Philippines, this time due to Typhoon Haiyan. This typhoon wasn’t what the natives were used to. Even though meteorologists were calling it one of the strongest storms ever recorded in modern history before it even happened, natives thought it would be just like every other strong storm they have experienced, causing many not to evacuate. Peter Borromeo was among the many people who choose to stay in the Philippines despite the many warnings to evacuate.
The day before the storm Borromeo decided to book a hotel room in Tacloban. He booked a room in a two-story apartment by the airport and made sure to text the rest of his family who was in the United States that he was okay. Borromeo grew up in the Philippines but had moved to the United States later in his life. He was only in the Philippines at this time to visit some family, but was very familiar with the storms that came through the area, which made him not worry very much.
The text he sent to his family that night was the last they heard from him for four days. The storm came through where Borromeo was staying at about 4:40am Without any warning, the strong winds of the storm blew the roof off the hotel forcing Borromeo to hold on to a pole with one arm, whiling using a pillow to cover his face in order to block flying objects with the other. Borromeo stayed in this position for four hours while he recited prayers, praying for survival.
Somehow Borromeo came out alive, but wasn’t able to get ahold of his family for four days. Thankful for technology, Borromeo family was able to locate him using social media and the Google People finder. They put a message and a picture of Borromeo on all their social media websites as well as the Google people finder. Someone saw one of the messages, located Borromeo, and let the family know that he was safe. Without technology Borromeo’s family would have been left wondering for days if he was alive or not.
jordynmiller 