Filipino-American Club of the Jersey Shore, Monmouth County, New Jersey, filamorg.com

As the storm blew and set off the worst flooding in the capital in more than four decades, Reyes climbed to the roof of her two-story house in upscale Provident village in hard-hit Marikina city on Saturday with her mother and two young children.   Marooned for hours, she made a frantic call for help to ABS-CBN TV network with her mobile phone.  "If the rains do not stop, the water will reach the roof. We do not know what to do. My mother doesn't know how to swim," she said, weeping.

Gutierrez, a close friend and Reyes' co-star in an upcoming movie, heard of her plight, borrowed an army speedboat and went to the rescue.  "We couldn't go fast because of the strong currents and floating cars," Gutierrez told GMA TV Network on Monday.   Reaching Reyes' house, he struggled to tie the boat to a tree amid the churning waters, climbed into her house and eventually whisked her to safety.  "I thought it was our ending but I did not lose hope," Reyes said, thanking Gutierrez. "Let us help those who have not yet been rescued."

About 8,000 people have been rescued by troops and civilian volunteers from rooftops and isolated villages. At least 32 people remain missing.  The houses of more than 450,000 people were inundated in the storm, which dumped more than a month's worth of rain in just 12 hours. Some 115,000 displaced people were brought to about 200 schools, churches and other evacuation shelters. "