THE year just past was an annus horribilis, a year of disaster and misfortune. It was the year when tropical storm ?Ondoy? struck Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, killing 464 people, destroying 185,000 houses and causing nearly P11 billion worth of damage to agriculture, public works and private property. Ondoy poured a month?s worth of rain in just 12 hours, causing floods that rose, in some areas, even to the second stories of many houses.

Typhoon ?Pepeng? soon followed in its wake, killing 492 people, destroying 54,000 houses and causing P27.3 billion worth of damage to agriculture, public works and private property.

The two deadly and destructive storms caught the government unprepared; in the first few days after Ondoy struck, it seemed as if nobody was in charge to undertake and supervise rescue and relief operations. Fortunately, ordinary citizens responded quickly to the emergency, and helped their fellowmen who had fallen victim to the natural disasters. Some died in their attempt to rescue as many people as possible from the swirling floods.

Ondoy and Pepeng were only two of the fierce storms that lashed the country in 2009. Twenty storms and typhoons hit the country between January and December, killing 1,238 people, destroying 395,000 houses and causing damage of close to P45 billion to agriculture, public works and private property.

The year 2009 will also be remembered as the year when the Ampatuan, Maguindanao massacre was perpetrated?a crime so heinous, so horrific, so monstrous that people could not find words to describe their reaction to it. Fifty-seven people, including 30 journalists, were killed allegedly by the Ampatuan clan and their henchmen that had been coddled by President Macapagal-Arroyo. The victims were hacked, riddled with bullets, mutilated. Some of the women were raped and some had their breasts and genital organs shot up.

The year will also be remembered as the year when Cory Aquino, icon of Philippine democracy, died after a valiant battle with cancer. Her wake and funeral procession drew hundreds of thousands of people and later provided the push for the launching of the presidential bid of her son, Sen. Benigno ?Noynoy? Aquino III. People noted the stark contrast between Cory, who was not tainted personally by any hint of corruption and who did not lust for power and bowed out at the end of her term, and the present occupant of Malacañang, whose name has been linked with many corrupt deals and who, up to now, is believed to be plotting to try to hold on to political power by any means, fair or foul.

The year started with the nation feeling the impact of the worldwide economic downturn. Things did improve in the latter part of the year but most economists say that the economy is not yet quite out of the woods.

It was a year when Ms Arroyo continued to practice her brand of transactional politics, ensuring the continued loyalty of members of Congress, local government officials and military and police officers by showering them with cash gifts and perks. One mental picture that will forever be etched in the memory of the nation is that of Ms Arroyo and her party enjoying a P1-million ($19,000) dinner at Le Cirque in New York City while millions of her countrymen suffered from hunger.

2009 was also a year that saw scores killed in the sinking and collisions of ships and ferries. On May 23, MB Commando 6 which was headed for Puerto Galera sank off Batangas, killing 12 passengers. On Sept. 6, SuperFerry 9 sank, killing nine passengers. It was almost a miracle that the accident did not take a bigger toll in human lives; at the time of the sinking the ship was carrying more than 900 passengers.

On Dec. 24, MB Catalyn and FV Anatalia collided off Cavite, leaving 24 people killed and 24 others missing. Three days later, on Dec. 27, the MV Baleno sank off Isla Verde near Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro, killing six people and leaving 54 missing.

During the last month of the year several fires swept Metro Manila, killing two people and destroying P13 million worth of property. As the year hurtled toward its last days and hours, Mayon Volcano started acting up, providing a fiery show for fearful Bicolanos and curious tourists and threatening to erupt at any time.

It was a truly horrible year.