VIDEO | Residents recall experiences after building’s wall collapses, falls into street
Photos, video, and text by Bernard Testa
For a full report, please visit the ABS-CBN story about the incident.
Maria, 60, a resident of one of the towers whose car was damaged by a concrete slab
“I was in my 39th floor condominium, attending to the vegetables I was cooking.
Suddenly, when I heard a big bang. I immediately thought of an oversized truck full of steel beams and pre-cast metals that fell from a building.
I looked at the balcony and when I saw no one, I went back to the kitchen. Then the fire alarm went off and I heard people shouting, running out of their condo units.
Security personnel, together with the other tenants, approached me and we took the elevator to the fifth floor, where I parked my car.
Since I was nervous, I wanted to drive and get away from it all so that I could chill out. They refused to let me out but I was able to get their permission to move my car which was pinned down by a concrete slab. I then took a photo which I posted on my social media account.
My relatives then called me up, asking how I was. My children were furious that this happened.
But on three separate occasions, I have felt the earth move while staying in that building.”
Rose, 20, a resident of one of the towers, who was celebrating her birthday on the day of the crash.
I needed to pick up a cake at nine that morning because it was my 20th birthday. I also needed to send money to my parents in Bacolod. So I went down to the bakeshop and then went back to my room on the 43rd floor. I was in the toilet when I heard a loud banging sound which I thought was an explosion. I felt the building shake briefly. I thought it was an earthquake. I felt dizzy.
I wasn’t able to sleep much the night before so I couldn’t fully grasp the situation until I received a message from a friend, who was staying in Tower D with a photo from the 5th floor. I was scared as shit.
Then the lights went out.
Eventually, we managed to reach the lobby and then we went out into the streets.
I did not expect this to happen on my birthday. I had this wish of good health for my family and safety for everyone against Covid-19. But it’s just only a wish because I haven’t blown out my candles yet.”
