Bicol’s indie bookshop loses rare books, artifacts due to Kristine

SOAKED Savage Mind, the lone independent bookstore in Naga City and repository of rare books, artifacts, artworks, sketches and archival materials shown in this undated photo (left), has been completely destroyed (right) by the widespread flood in the city last Tuesday due to Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami). —Contributed photos

NAGA CITY, CAMARINES SUR, Philippines — Bicol’s only independent bookstore, Savage Mind, has suffered extensive damage, estimated at P20 million, after Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) triggered severe flooding in Naga City in Camarines Sur.

The owner, Kristian Sendon Cordero, decided to temporarily close the bookstore on Oct. 24 due to the loss.

Among the affected items were valuable artifacts, artworks, sketches by Juan Luna, letters from Antonio Luna, first-edition Filipiniana books, and archival materials from Luis Cabalquinto.

“I haven’t seen it firsthand, but the loss is significant,” Cordero, currently in Germany, shared in a phone interview with the Inquirer on Monday.

He estimated that the recovery process could take up to a year.

It was not Savage Mind’s first experience with flood damage. In September, the shop also suffered losses from Tropical Storm Enteng (international name: Yagi).

However, at that time, the water only rose to waist level, and the shop could reopen within two days.

‘Unprepared’

“But in this typhoon, it reached 15 feet,” Cordero said.

He said they made preparations before Kristine affected the Bicol Region last Tuesday but they were “unprepared” for the storm’s severity, as the city was then classified as only under Storm Signal No. 1, which was typically mild.

“I don’t understand why the storm signal was only No. 1—no one anticipated this level of rainfall,” he said.

City officials were also caught off guard by the heavy rain. Mayor Nelson Legacion earlier said the amount of rain that fell on the city within 24 hours starting on Tuesday reached 679 millimeters, which was almost seven times more than the city’s average monthly rainfall.

Low point

Founded in 2018, Savage Mind has been a cultural hub for Bicol, hosting events that celebrated regional creativity, such as screenings of Bicolano-made films.

Cordero, also a filmmaker and poet, expressed the emotional impact of the loss: “Kristine has dampened our spirits. Like many in Naga and Kabikolan, we’re going through a very low point.”

According to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Kristine has affected 1.98 million people across the Bicol Region.

Some 792 villages throughout the region experienced heavy flooding due to Kristine, the OCD in Bicol said.