In our household, talking about politics over dinner is a normal occurrence. Probably because my parents work for a newspaper (and my dad came from UP Diliman) and us children were brought up with Scholastican ideals. So it was no surprise that the five of us took part in the Million People March that happened in Luneta just hours ago.

This may not be my first protest, but the amount of people in the streets still overwhelms me. Thousands of people in white shirts flooded the highway and Quirino Grandstand. Flyers were given out, banners and posters were raised up high, costumes and jingles were seen and heard throughout the entire place. Cries of "Makibaka! 'Wag magbaboy!" was the chant of choice of the people. I even saw a few of my college professors in the protest.

Different people from different classes, cities, and possibly everything different were present. And the sentiments were all pretty much the same: We're tired of being taken advantage of and it's time the government did something about it. The fact that even with the President's speech last Friday about abolishing the pork barrel, the people still pushed through with the march, says something about the whole situation.

But now that we're done with the first step, what's next?

And every person I asked answered the same thing: Wait for it. The next step is coming and we need you until the end.

For the past week, the island of Luzon has been at a standstill. Tropical storm Maring (internationally known as Trami) entered the country and, while it did not really come into contact with Philippine soil, it pulled the monsoon. That's where everything started.

Last Monday, the rain poured so heavily, the capital was literally submerged in the flood. More than half of the National Capital Region was flooded, people started fleeing their homes and evacuating to somewhere higher. All we ever heard and saw on the news were how deep (ankle-deep, knee-deep, waist-deep, chest-deep, neck-deep) the floods were; how the waters in the dams were rising at an alarming rate; how the rivers were on the verge of overflowing; how thousands of people were evacuating their homes for higher ground. Various news sites, both local and international, have painted on what literally is happening in the capital. Personally, I've had my fair share of flooded house experiences. Thing is, this is probably the worst one in my twenty years of existence. While my previous experiences (even if the flood did go inside my room) lasted for a day, this one lasted for three. Still, the rain has already stopped here (though I don't know about the other areas in NCR) and we've already started cleaning the house.

And while we're busy cleaning up, I would like to ask for your help. Be it donations, volunteer work, or you just know someone who may be in need of any help at all, it would do wonders to all of us Filipinos. Listed below are the emergency hotlines and other numbers which would get you into contact to whomever you want to contact, help-wise. If you are in need of rescuing or know someone who is in need of rescuing, please contact any of the numbers below.

Emergency Hotlines:

National Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) hotlines
(02) 911-1406, (02) 912-2665, (02) 912-5668, (02) 911-1873

Philippine National Police (PNP) Hotline Patrol
117 or send TXT PNP to 2920

Bureau of Fire Protection (NCR)
117, (02) 729-5166, (02) 410-6319 (Regional Director, Information Desk)

Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) hotline
7890 or (02) 726-6255

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA)
136, 882-0925 (flood control)
Trunkline: (02) 882-4150-77 loc. 337 (rescue), 255 (Metrobase)
Metrobase: 882-0860

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
(02) 304-3713, (02) 304-3904

Red Cross hotline
143, (02) 527-0000, (02) 527-8385 to 95

North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) hotlines
(02) 3-5000 and (02) 580-8910

Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) hotlines
(0920) 96-SCTEX (72839) (traffic hotline) or (045) 459-0522

Skyway System Hotline
(02) 776-7777, 0917-539-8762 (globe), 0999-888-0893 (smart), 0932-854-6980 (sun)

South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) hotline
0917-6877539 (globe), (049) 508-7509, (02) 584-4389

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hotline
(02) 433-8526

Philippine Coast Guard
(02) 527-3877, (02) 527-8481, 0917-724-3682 (globe), 0917-PCG-DOTC (globe)

Manila Water Hotline
1627

PHIVOLCS
Trunkline: (02) 426-1468 to 79, local 124/125 (emergency);
Text/call: 0905-313-4077 (globe)

DSWD
(632)931-81-01 to 07, local 426 (Disaster Response Unit); (02) 951-7119

Local government units (partial)

Manila Traffic Hotline – 527-3087
Cainta Traffic Hotline – 646-0044, (02) 248-1743 (hotline)
Las Piñas Traffic – 874-5756, 874-3927, 874-5754, 874-5753
Mandaluyong Hotline – 534-2993 (traffic); 533-2225 (Command Control Center)
Taguig Traffic – 838-4301 loc. 7112
Marikina STOC – 646-1651, (02) 646-1633 (traffic)
Pasig Traffic – 643-0000 (Command Control Center); 643-1111
Makati Public Safety Dept – 844-3146, 819-3270 to 71

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines

To all those near the University of Santo Tomas and haven't had a decent meal since the rains started, here's a list of food stalls that have delivery services (besides the fastfood chains anyway).

Chef101: +63 921 562 9699
Noodle King: +63 910 803 7529
Pard's: 782 9044
Snack Bar:  +63 927 297 3898
JQK Chicken: +63 915 634 5887
Kinirog: +63 930 543 1502
Ate Olga's: +63 908 554 8420
Cow Wow: +63 922 851 3389

Unfortunately, I only know of those near my former Alma Mater. If you have anything like the list I gave for the other schools and universities, please do comment it below and I'll add it in here—a little help goes a long way.

Thank you, guys! Even if us Filipinos are very much resilient, a prayer or two won't hurt. Thank you again!

Or like what we always say: Bangon, Pilipinas!

There's a little kid, probably around 7-8 years old, who was standing in front of a shelf at the Young Adults section of the bookstore—the Fantasy section, if we're being specific about it. His eyes scan the titles until it lights up when he finds what he's looking for. He struggles to get the said book, tiptoeing and reaching out with his short arms. You smile in amusement but still keep a close eye on him, just in case something unfavourable happens. He falls back on his feet and huffs, and you couldn't help but chuckle. He hears you and looks on with a contemplative look on his face. He smiles and suddenly, he's approaching you.

"Hey, miss. Can you help me reach for the book? I'm still growing, you see. And you're already so tall!", he says. You laugh and tell him, "No problem. Lead the way, sir."

He leads you back to the shelf where the book was located, and he points you to the book. You look and you see him pointing to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. You feel a swell in your heart because it was the very same series that you often got lost in. You reach for the book and hand it to him. He looks so incredibly enthusiastic when he finally touched the hardbound cover, and you couldn't help but say, "You know, I read the first book a year before the first film came out." And he was so enthralled, he asked if you could tell him a story about you and the book.

And you agreed because you just can't say no to that adorable face. You wonder who he's with, but all that gets lost when the kid looks at you in anticipation.

So you started telling him how you read the book so diligently. You tell him how your parents scolded you before because when you got back from school, you blew off your homework to read the next chapter—they then resolved that before they gave you the book, you had to finish all your assignments. You tell him how you got Harry Potter merchandise for presents during your birthday and Christmas, because everyone saw how you couldn't let go of the book. You tell him how different your opinions were from most people because they hated Draco but you loved him. You tell him how you got into arguments with people because they kept saying that Slytherin was the House of Evil, when it really wasn't. You tell him how you always waited for an owl to show up and they never did—but one day, you found your acceptance letter and you literally jumped with glee. You tell him how you went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and experienced the magic, even for a little bit. You tell him how you always imagine yourself being part of their circle of friends, as you imagine them being part of yours. You tell him how you were brought to tears when JK Rowling said, "Hogwarts will always welcome you home." because you were so overwhelmed by so many emotions. You tell him how the book changed your life.

And he listens intently, soaking it all in. When you do finish, he goes quiet and looks at the book. You ask him, "Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?" He looks at you again and answers, "I'm fine, miss. I'm just really happy I met you! My brother, you see, tells me to stop believing in Harry Potter because he's not real. That magic's not real. That it will do nothing in my life if I keep reading about him." Flabbergasted, you wanted to look for the boy's brother and give him a piece of your mind. But you calm down, and just tell the boy once more, "He's real when you want him to be. And between you and me, I think the wizards are actually here, pretending to be Muggles."

He smiles again and goes back to looking at his book. Then he whispers to you, "How do you know they're here?" You smile and whisper back, "Because I'm a witch myself. Take a look at my scarf." His eyes widen and darts to the scarf covering your neck. He looks at the ends and sees the Slytherin emblem stitched on. He gasps and touches it, wondering if it's the real thing. He looks at you again and smiles. You hear someone calling out a name, and the boy suddenly stands up. You see him walk to a man—his dad, you assume—and gives the book. His dad goes to the counter to pay for the book, when the boy looks back again. He waves and says, "See you soon, miss witch!" People are looking at you in confusion but you just chuckle and wave back to the boy.

When you get back home, you dart towards your shelf and take out Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, getting lost once more in the world of the Boy Who Lived.

It's that time of the year again—the time of dark days and cold nights. The time when you'd rather sleep in during Saturdays, and forget about going out. From August to November (or until December, if we're lucky), the rain would pour down incessantly—as if it would not cease until the next year. Several names have already been brought up for this: bed weather, cuddle weather, and even London weather. During this time, the aroma of coffee would be everywhere—in the kitchen, in the dining room, and even in the bedroom.

A cup of coffee is, by all means, somewhat of a saving grace for everyone (except, of course, the children). It lessens the headache that's sure to come of the guy who has been out drinking until 3 in the morning; it wakes up the lady who has to go to work bright and early; it keeps that college kid awake for an all-night session of studying; it warms the old lady from the cold that's bound to seep into her quaint house very soon.

And that little cup of coffee can go with almost anything. It can go with biscuits during merienda; it can go with your favourite tapsilog for breakfast; it can even go with that cake in your fridge for your midnight snack. That cup blends well with the French Jazz Trio song that your dad insists on listening for relaxation or that new Arctic Monkeys song that keeps you awake at night while you're writing your paper due tomorrow.

Still, you wonder how you fell into this sort-of love affair with the beverage. How you've gone from refusing to take a sip of the bitter mix when you were a kid to not functioning as properly as you'd like without a cup. But all that gets lost in thought when you realize you have far too much to do.

Because really, a cup of coffee would be lovely. Thank you.