MANILA, Philippines?The worst of times can bring out the best in Filipinos.

This was particularly true in the case of a Chinese-Filipino family who voluntarily provided shelter to their neighbors when floods spawned by Storm ?Ondoy? left a huge part of Metro Manila underwater on Saturday.

On Agno and Kaliraya Streets in Quezon City, some 1,000 families spent the night on dry ground and with full stomachs after a kind-hearted Chinese-Filipino family invited them into their house.

Before that, the affected families had to leave their houses after eight-foot deep floodwaters inundated the area, followed by a six-hour fire caused by sparks coming from electrical wires.

?If they hadn?t invited us inside their house, more people would probably be dead because we had nowhere else to go. There?s fire above and water below and then you might get electrocuted if you hold on to dangling electrical wires,? Raul Tabuena, a resident in the area, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in Filipino.

Senior Police Officer 3 Jerry Abad of the Quezon City Police Department reported that seven people, including a six-month-old baby and a pregnant woman, were killed in the fire.

Residents had just resigned themselves to spending the night submerged in floodwater when the Chinese family invited them to spend the night in their house.

?They opened their gate and invited us to go inside and gave us food and allowed us to stay the night until the flood subsided and the fire stopped.? Tabuena said.

They were also given dry clothes and a hot meal, while some children, who were covered in mud and soot, were given a bath.

?It was an opportunity to help and helping is a luxury. We are not expecting anything in return,? the owner of the house told the Philippine Daily Inquirer as he asked for anonymity.

?It was simply adrenaline and we were just concerned about saving lives,? he added.

He also said that he and his family were planning to visit the area where the fire occurred to help residents.

Meanwhile, employees of a supermarket in Quezon City gave bottled water and biscuits to some 200 people trapped for hours inside the store, while a nearby Jollibee distributed free hamburgers.

Family driver Jay Piedad, 27, was one of those who sought refuge at the Puregold Supermarket on Araneta Avenue after the floodwater rose rapidly on Saturday afternoon.

?It was unbelievable,? Piedad said, speaking in Filipino. ?I have never experienced anything like this.?