A Freak Storm Ruined Our Itinerary

What's a 'Freak Storm' anyway? This was the first time I encountered such terminology. And I even just overheard that phrase from (educated-looking) fellow passengers lamenting about this 'phenomenon'.

The annoying thing was it significantly altered (almost ruined) our travel itinerary.

Here's the story:
About 4AM, we were approaching Tacloban DZR Airport (7 passengers, 2 vehicles), when it started to drizzle and the wind started blowing at more than just a nice breeze. But the moon was big and bright when we got out of the house 1 hour earlier and went to fetch our companions at Go Hotels Tacloban.

We checked-in at the Cebu Pacific counters without much hassle anyway. While inside the air terminal though, we could hear the rain has gotten heavier, and the wind became stronger - knocking things off from where they were - even inside the airconditioned terminal! But that's usual here, so no one cared.

However, a few minutes thereafter, (and OMG I could not believe it), Cebu Pacific announced that our flight was CANCELLED. Pak! Eh we were not just going to Cebu, but connecting to a flight to Palawan!

Our itinerary (7 passengers):
   0610H Depart Tacloban on flight DG6568 (being cancelled)
   0655H Arrive Cebu
   0800H Depart Cebu on flight 5J225
   0915H Arrive Puerto Princesa

But it was not that simple. We've already booked (fully paid) our hotel rooms in Puerto Princesa; also booked/paid tours that morning until evening; plus, also booked/paid a dinner for 20 people at Ka Lui.

AND as we talked to airport staff in Tacloban, majority of our companions were already boarding this:
   0805H Depart Manila on flight 5J637
   0925H Arrive Puerto Princesa

The hotel staff, the vans and tour guides were even already at Puerto Princesa Airport waiting for us!

Argh! What a headache! I was almost freaking out like that "freak storm"! I know the airline, especially their young, unconcerned, unsympathetic staff, could just dismiss me and say "sorry, force majeure", right? But one of them (at least) got our travel details to see if she can help. Note: they're not obliged to help clients when the disruption is an "act-of-god". Nyetang 'freak storm', act of what God ba yan?!

I went out of the airport to pump some pollution into my lungs (MarlLights!) as I was already stressed just thinking of this unfortunate situation that befell upon me and my happy jolly family, hay. And look:

That was the 'waiting space' roofed by a row of tents in front of the departure area. Oh My Gino-o ko!

This really looked like a big storm just passed by, though already gone wrecking havoc elsewhere..,

There was still a bit of rain, just a drizzle (like when we came in), but the road was still a little flooded.

But there was no more wind. Everything was calm around the airport, and the skies were getting clear.

This is that rare phenomenon (I seldom encounter this) where a devastating storm suddenly comes to wreck havoc, and just as quickly fades in a matter of minutes - usually occurring in the early mornings or early evening - where the day's weather forecast is just "scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms".

It was here when I heard men calling it a "freak storm". I heard a Waray term they used - "cabugwas"?

Anyway, soon the Cebu Pacific staff who volunteered to help me check on options called my name on the airport's PA system, so I approached their counter - to learn that the options were not good for us!

Our flight to Cebu (DG6568, this flight) was really already cancelled, not just delayed, even if the freak storm was already gone. The 8AM flight from Cebu to Puerto Princesa was proceeding as scheduled therefore we were already surely missing that. But 1) she could re-route us via Manila as their aircraft from Manila was already expected to arrive, but the available Manila to Puerto Princesa flight is in the evening pa! Or 2) we could go to Cebu in the evening, then fly to Puerto Princesa tomorrow pa at 5AM.

Argh too many things to weigh!
1) If we stayed in Tacloban for the day, and do the same itinerary tomorrow, what was there to do? My companions would be bored. 2) If we bit the via Manila option, we'd have been waiting at T3 the whole day. Besides, was that plane from MNL even ever landing in TAC? Didn't the freak storm also affect it?

After a quick huddle, our final decision was:
1 - Rebook our Cebu-Puerto Princesa flight to tomorrow (earliest flight). Cebu Pacific agreed.
2 - Cancel/Refund this Tacloban-Cebu flight. Cebu Pacific to credit the amount to my travel fund.
3 * note though that it's just a meager amount because the fare paid was straight TAC-CEB-PPS
4 - We go on our own to Cebu. How? Drive to Ormoc, then take the fast craft!
5 - Pasyal sa Cebu - my companions even 'salivated' for this!

How about our companions who were already arriving in Puerto Princesa from Manila?
A - We told them to proceed as scheduled (only without the 7 of us)
B - I begged for the hotel to cancel our rooms at no cost. They agreed.
C - I begged for the tour company to subtract us 7 passengers. They agreed
D - I begged Ka Lui to make it just 13pax instead of 20 for tonight's dinner. They said no! :(

That was all we could do to not totally dampen our spirits!

We even had our private joke of the day: "smile kay birthday ni Madi Milette ngan padi Ewin yana"!

So, just a bit heartbroken.., all 7 of us went out of the Tacloban Airport.., and this was the view...

Hey don't look elsewhere! Just look at the bottom-center of the picture. THAT 'basura' is what we saw, and I declared.., "before we drive off to Ormoc, breakfast muna at Jollibee Palo"! Their 900th store. Ye!

Lets ride the fastcraft to Cebu next!