RYAN Cayabyab has safely returned to the Philippines from Bangkok, Thailand, after delays due to the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the city last Friday, March 28.
The National Artist for Music narrated via his Instagram page what transpired when the earthquake hit while he and his wife Emmy Punsalan were inside an establishment in Bangkok.
“We were exiting a building after lunch and suddenly people were pushing us and sobrang nagtataka kami ni misis… Maya maya lang ang dami nang tao sa daan!” he said. “Anak ng pu***. Lindol ba ito!? Ang lakas. [Grabe].”
Cayabyab said they were not immediately able to enter their hotel and that when they did, it still took them some time before they made it to their room as the line at the elevator was long.
“We hurriedly put our stuff inside the maletas. Wala nang ayus-ayus. Ang bilis namin makalabas ng kuwarto. Takbo ulit sa elevator baka mahaba na naman ang hintay. Nakababa rin sa lobby,” he recalled.
The pair and their companions tried to make it to their scheduled flight on the same day, but they had a hard time booking a car to take them to the airport.
“We waited [four] hours for our [transport] to bring us to the airport. Wala! Still we decided to just get to the airport and think of what to do next — for sure we will miss our flight,” he said at the time.
“We had a huddle to decide if we want to book a room sa hotel to stay for the night? I said no,” he recalled. “I want to be in the airport. Doon na lang kami maghintay. Besides… ayoko sa 26th floor matulog at baka meron pang earthquake.”
Cayabyayb nonetheless commended the hotel staff for assisting them and the other guests. He and his companions eventually were able to book a car ride to the airport.
“For sure hindi na kami aabot sa flight pero at least there is hope to catch the succeeding flights kahit bukas,” he said at the time. “Ipinauubaya ko na sa Maykapal kung ano ang susunod na kabanata nitong adventure namin. Pumunta lang naman kami dito para kumain e.”
In a succeeding post, Cayabyab shared that he is now in Quezon City, adding in his post a link to a Facebook video of swaying and collapsing buildings in Bangkok during the earthquake.
Bangkok was hit by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that centered in the northwest part of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar. At least 1,644 deaths in Myanmar and around 10 in Bangkok were reported as of March 30. (Anne Pasajol ©Philippine Daily Inquirer)
